Four's A Charm: Change Happens
by Princess Pinky
Summary: Sequel to, Every Halliwell Counts. The Halliwells search for an abducted and very pregnant Prue and at the same time, Tyler fights to regain Persia's trust in him. Also, Paige gets a new power.
1. The Hex Generation

A/N: This is the sequel to, _Every Halliwell Counts_. It is the seventh in my series. I hope you will all like this as much as the first six. For those the you who haven't read the first six stories, I advise you to do so. I'll post a summary of the first six below my reviews and a list at the bottom with the main characters and their powers. I kinda left you all with a cliffhanger back there, didn't I? Heh. Sorry about that. But it did result in some pretty crazy long reviews, which I'll now respond to. (P.S. This title is a play on, "The Next Generation".) 

**The-Cheese-Fairy**: You definitely rocked my socks with that wickedly long review! I was amazed that I wrote that ending myself. I had never intended on writing a cliffhanger ending, it just sort of wrote itself. lol Ha! I don't write for _Charmed_ for the same reason Peanut and RJF don't write for _Charmed_, we might be able to keep some continuity going and we have new ideas (and we wouldn't kill off Leo). Damn Kern! Oh yes, I will try to go check out your story A.S.A.P. ;) 

**charmedbaby11**: Thank you for taking a moment to review:-D 

**RJF**: LMAO "Prutus!" It took me a moment to get, but once I did, I laughed for so long! In fact, I might even have to steal it from you and use it in my story. ;) I'm so glad you liked the memory dust bit. I don't like it used for a "fix all," but really, they could've brought it back for the show instead of those damn Cleaners which make no sense at all. Yeah,the swing, I missed it too. Ever since my poor Andy left. Ooh, Andy. 

**moonfirefairy**: Aww, thank you so much. 

**Prince Halliwell**: Yep, I thought of _All Hell Breaks Loose_ as I wrote that and I wanted to bring some of the past seasons into that chapter. Yes, the new baby will have a "P" name and I actually already have one in mind. (P.S. Do you think you'll be updating your fic with Willow any time soon? I've been eagerly awaiting the next chapter for that one.) 

**chyp**: Thank you. 

**Phyre**: Aw, that's fine. Thanks for reviewing and good luck on your exams! 

**GuevaraX5452**: Oh wow, that review was so awesomely extensive! I'm SO glad you liked this chapter! I felt really bad for making you wait so long to read it. As for Prue's phasing power, yes, I'm thinking I'll have her power grow like that. I hope to talk to you on AIM again soon. I really enjoy it. (P.S. Ha, the RL drama is well...irritating to say the least. My Mom is really trying to cut back on my online time because I'm, "being selfish with the Internet," among other things. Eeh, yeah.) 

**Monkeywand**: Yeah, I do. I'm a big fan of reactions...Erm, I'm glad you like my stories that much too! LOL 

**Peanut2lb**: All hail Queen Peanut of Prue and Andy Fanfiction! Ooh, how I have missed hearing from you. The reason behind Prue's witchnapping will be explained within the next few chapters, but I will say it all revolves around RJF's coined, "Prutus." 

**Ed**: Yeah, I like Paige having something other than her Charmed destiny to work at, too. And I'm so glad the ending went off with a bang, because I was a smidge worried about it. lol 

**damien455**: Thanks a million and one for the feedback! 

_Charmed At Last_ - Summary: Piper & Leo are married and have been trying to have children for a while now. Phoebe and Cole are dating but they still haven't figured a way around the whole bounty hunter situation; Cole never became The Source and is still Balthezor. The Source was never vanquished, either. Paige and Glenn are just beginning to date, as in, a serious relationship. Glenn goes away on another trip, when Paige finds out she's pregnant. She tells her sisters and then they are attacked by a demon. That's when their eldest sister, who had supposidly died, comes and saves their lives. The truth that Prue never died is revealed and that Paige's pregnancy has allowed her to return home. They must begin their real destiny, with the, Power of Four. When Glenn returns, Paige tells him that she is pregnant; they soon are married. A few months later Paige gives birth to a beautiful baby girl named, Pearlinda Melody Belland, Pearl for short. In the finale, Piper finds out that she is pregnant. By this time, Pearl is about 6 months old.

_Family Affair_ - Summary: This takes place almost 2 years after the finale of "Charmed At Last". Paige's daughter, Pearl, is almost 3-years-old and Piper's daughter, Phiona, is almost 2-years-old. Paige and Glenn are happily married and so are Piper and Leo. The story starts off with Phoebe and Cole's wedding; Phoebe is also about 4 months pregnant with her and Cole's first child. Prue is still single and recieves a 3rd power during this time. The sisters and their husbands go through the traumatic time of yet a 3rd Halliwell pregnancy and soon Phoebe gives birth to a healthy baby girl named, Pamela Victoria Turner, Pam for short. Then the sisters must deal with all the trouble that normal toddlers get into, plus the added effect of magic from two little witch-whitelighter-mortals, while learning how to control a newborn witch-demoness-mortal.

_Together Forever As One_ - Summary: This takes place about 1 year after Pam's first birthday. Pearl is now about 5-years-old and in Kindergarten, Phiona is about 4-years-old, & Pam is about 2-years-old. For Piper & Leo, Phoebe & Cole, and Paige & Glenn; things are going smoothly. Considering they have wild little magical children to look after. Prue is still single. The story starts off on Prue's 34th birthday. She is feeling kind of down since each of her sister's has a wonderful little girl and she is yet to have a child, but in the future, she saw that she had a daughter. Then as a surprise for her birthday, The Elders allow Andy Trudeau to return for 24 hours, to spend with Prue. He isn't a ghost/spirit during this 24 hour period, but just as alive as everyone else. Prue and Andy make up for lost time and then sleep together before Andy has to leave again. 1 month after Prue & Andy's night together, Prue finds out she is pregnant, with Andy's child! Now Prue must face going through a magical pregnancy and trying to be a single mom. Sure her sisters, brother-in-laws, and nieces will be there for her but nothing can replace a husband and a father for her child.

_The Blessed Ones_ - Summary: This takes place 2 years after Pandora's first birthday. Pearl is 8-years-old, Phiona is 7-years-old, Pam is 5-years-old, & Pandora is 3-years-old. The Halliwell sisters have decided to take their children out of public school, starting this year. Pearl, Phiona, & Pam now go to a small school, taught by, The Star Coven. Not only do they learn what they would normally learn, but they also are taught how to use their powers, the history of magic, and they can interact with magical children their own age. Pearl, Phiona, Pam, and Pandora are the Blessed Ones; the most powerful good witches that exist, as of this time period. But then a young teenage girl shows up at the door of the Halliwell Manor. Everyone finds out that Phoebe had kept not only a secret in New York, but a daughter! The daughter that she and the evil witch James Kline had together, when Phoebe was 19-years-old. Her daughter's name is Persia Patty Halliwell and has the power of electrokinesis; the ability to create and control electricity. She is very powerful. Then Piper discovers some shocking news. She's pregnant again! Her mother, Patty, comes to her and tells her that her unborn child is half of a prophecy, called 'The Children Of Light'. Persia is the other half. Together, both girls rival the Blessed Ones in power. Piper had her and Leo's second daughter and names her Prissandra Leona Wyatt. Little Prissandra has the power of photokinesis; the ability to create and control light. Pearl also gains a new power and a best friend, who could possibly become even more.

_The Children Of Light_ - Summary: This takes place about a year after it's prequel. Persia is still trying to find her place in the family, but Pam is not helping matters. She is so jealous of Persia and doesn't understand the situation, believing that Persia is just there to steal her parents. Prue and Pandora are suffering without Andy, so Pandora uses the gift that she got on the day of her Wiccaning, to wish for her father. This surprises The Elders and they aren't sure how to handle such a thing, because it has never happened before. Although it is technically against the rules, Pandora was never told this, so they allow Andy to stay. But that's it; if he dies again, he stays dead. The Elders give the sisters a one time spell to change the memories of everyone in the world, except those who know their secret. Cole's mother, Evilyn, eventually comes into the picture. She kidnaps Pam and attempts to bring out her demon half, by having her kill an innocent witch. The Charmed Ones interfere and Pam is saved. However she's still been infected with the power of The Ingress, a sister power to The Nexus, which Evilyn has under the control of evil. But when Adam, an old lover of Evilyn's, kills her, Pam gains a new power and helps her father vanquish Adam. Phoebe, Cole, Persia, and Pam move into the home that Cole inherit's from his mother's death; The Villa, complete with The Ingress, which is now in the hands of good. Prue, Andy, and Pandora travel to a surprise Family Reunion for Andy's family. Prue turns into a Werewolf and attacks Andy's mother, Vivienne. The remaining sisters come to the rescue, vanquishing the Werewolf that converted Prue, and having Leo dust the family. Sour feelings between Prue and Vivienne, however, remain. In the end, the wedding of a lifetime is about to take place. Unfortunately, an old foe returns, and is after Prue's soul. A backfired spell turns Prue and Andy into elves, protecting them from The Sorceress Of Souls. Good undoubtedly prevails, Prue and Andy are married by Penny, and Brandon works up the courage to give Pearl a kiss on the cheek.

_Every Halliwell Counts_ - The Halliwell clan is attacked by mutant demons, leading Persia to summon friends from an alternate reality who have experience in such matters. A strong bond between Pamela Walker, Alternate Prue Halliwell's daughter, and Persia grows so much that Persia enchants matching lockets that allow the pair to contact each other from their own worlds (a cosmic telephone). Then a certain Egyptian Cat Goddess from Paige's past shows up to ask for her help, during the same time Darryl and Andy have been caught up in a series of cat burglaries throughout the city. Pearl and Brandon take on the powers of the legendary lovers Isis and Osiris in order to take on Ra, a corrupt Sun God who is bent on taking over both the mortal and magical worlds. During their adventure, Pearl discovers the lost Tomb of Cleopatra and releases her entrapped soul from the guardianship of a very powerful ancient ritual item and she travels to the afterlife with her son and Marc Antony. Life turns darker when Persia heads to her Prom with a date that seems grand, but turns out be on over sexed jock who tries to drug and assault the young witch. Fortunately a boy from the Halliwells' past returns, a certain Firestarter, and saves Persia from what could've been one of the most traumatic experiences in her life. A friendship between the pair grows. Phiona also meets a new friend, the mortal cousin by marriage of her older cousin's arch Magic School rival, and a mutual bond forms. But when Phoebe has a premonition of a young girl getting attacked by demons, things turn ugly when Piper can't control her powers because of her latest ability to make things go in slow motion and Tyler wants his powers unbound. Unfortunately that is overshadowed by the fact that Prue accidentally becomes pregnant with the Prophet Guardian, which should've been born to Phoebe's innocent. With no way to reverse it, the magical world must adjust to the shift in destiny. However a demon with characteristics of demons of the past reveals herself and takes Prue with her while leaving Andy, Piper, Paige, and Pandora for dead.

Main Characters & Their Powers:

Prudence (Prue) Halliwell - Telekinesis, Astral Projection, Phasing

Piper Halliwell Wyatt - Temporal Stasis (Freezing), Molecular Acceleration (Exploding), Molecular Deceleration (Slow Motion)

Phoebe Halliwell Turner - Premonitions, Levitation, Empathy

Paige Halliwell Belland - Orbing, Telekinetic Orbing, Partial Healing, Sensing Evil, Sensing, Shapeshifting

Andrew (Andy) Trudeau - Mortal

Leo Wyatt - Orbing, Healing, Sensing, Harmless Light Balls, Levi-orbing, Shapeshifting, Multi-lingual

Cole Turner - Shimmering, Energy Balls

Glenn Belland - Mortal

Persia Patty Halliwell - Electrokinesis

Pearlinda (Pearl) Melody Belland - Exploding Light Balls, Healing

Phiona (Phi) Melinda Wyatt - Orb-telekinesis

Pamela (Pam) Victoria Turner - Shimmering, Power Absorbtion

Pandora Angel Trudeau - Telepathy

Prissandra (Prissy) Leona Wyatt - Photokinesis

Tyler Michaels - Pyrokinesis

Brandon Jonathon Fargo - Teleportation

Chase Hockley - Mortal

_**Change Happens**_

_**Chapter 1: The Hex Generation**_

The resounding crack of bone against rock resonated through the dimly lit Underworld cavern, as the demon Intis slid to the dusty ground. 

Cole Turner's face contorted into an angry, crimson blaze as he stretched out his fingers and a globe of cackling neon energy materialized above his awaiting palm. He reared his arm back and then swung it forth with mammoth strength, hitting his mark dead and watching in furious satisfaction as the lower level demon disintegrated. 

On the other side of the cavern, Phoebe Turner took to the air in adrenaline filled grace and shot a series of pain fueled roundhouse kicks into the two demons in which she was dueling. Her long, wavy brown ponytail viciously slapped against the air as she summersaulted backwards and landed fiercely on her feet. Her mocha eyes narrowed and she empathically channeled the powers of the demonic being closest to her. The Charmed One raised her hand and a globe of blistering flames erupted against her palm and she cast the weapon against her closest opponent, obliterating him on contact. "Agh!" She screamed, releasing her pent up rage against the latter demon as she swung her body into the air and stabbed her feet against his chest, flinging him against the cavern wall. 

As a cloud of rustic dust and rocks showered to the ground, Cole came to his wife's aid and ended the battle with a high voltage energy ball to the demon's head. He grabbed Phoebe's arms, bringing the enraged half witch to his chest. 

It was at that point that Phoebe's pain was released. The floodgates opened and black rivers began to drain down Phoebe's flushed cheeks. Her body wracked with sobs as she leaned against Cole's strong chest. 

Cole heaved a sigh and began to gently rub his wife's lower back. "It'll be okay," he promised. "We'll find her." 

---- 

Beet hued slashes of color contrasted against the milky whites of Leo Wyatt's eyes. His light blue irises were murky and the whitelighter's golden blonde hair was thickly matted with oil and suffered from a lack of combing. Golden-yellow knots hung just under the surface, while overgrown tuffs dipped just below his brow and over his ears and a dark shadow of course stubble covered his usually baby smooth cheeks.The angelic guardian was clad in a pair of grease slicked blue jeans with several coffee spills and ink smudges along with a half way buttoned cotton plaid shift, which reeked of body odor. 

The angelic husband was fixated on a world map that was sprawled across the kitchen table and held down with a mug of day old coffee. Like Leo, the map too had suffered several rips and tears, as well as heavy food and coffee stains. He ran his dirty fingers across the picture of California and closed his eyes, desperately trying to sense his sister-in-law. He couldn't believe he'd failed in such a miserable way. 

"Dad?" 

Leo drug his dirty sleeve across his tear stained cheeks and glanced up. "Phiona?" 

Phiona Wyatt limped into the room. Her eyes were also streaked with red from a mixture of tears and the lack of sleep. "Any," she wiped her nose with her sleeve, "luck?" 

Leo shook his head in an almost defeated manner and moved to the side, allowing his daughter to see the world map. 

The young witchlighter hesitantly grabbed for the amethyst scrying crystal and began to swing it over the crumb covered paper. Unfortunately the crystal grew weaker, before finally slowing to a natural stop in the Blessed One's hand. This had been the same result she'd gotten for the past eight months, ever since her Aunt Prue had been taken by a demon in which no one could seem to identify. She remembered the scene with such clarity that not a night had gone by in which she didn't have night terrors. 

_**----Flashback----**_

_As she raced down the hall, Phiona heard the front doors slam shut and the house seemed to rock on its foundations. She reared the corner of the stairway and gasped in sight as she saw her mother and baby cousin bleeding profusely a few feet away from the final step. She turned on her heel as the bile from her stomach burned its way up her esophagus, into her mouth, and finally she released a stomach full of vile smelling vomit on the stairwell._

_"Phiona, oh my god!" Persia gasped, catching up with her baby cousin and having not yet scene the gruesome sight which lay at the bottom of the steps._

_"M-mom," the Blessed One choked, hurling once more._

_The Child Of Light turned softly, her eyes settling on the blood and water ravaged room. Her hand flew to her mouth and she silently willed the fluids in her own stomach to stay there. "Go get Pearl! Hurry!" She grabbed the railing and descended the stairs, forcing each step._

_The whitelighter-witch brushed her pale lips with the edge of her sleeve and ran back towards the attic to find her older cousin._

_**----Flashback----**_

"Shh, baby, shhh," Leo whispered as he rocked his eldest child in his arms. It had become quite frequent since Prue's abduction. He was always finding himself holding his daughter after she fell into a lapsed into the blood stained memory. 

"It-it-it was so awful!" Phiona sobbed into her father's dirty flannel shirt. 

"It's over now," the whitelighter whispered softly. "They aren't in pain anymore, angel." 

Phiona clamped her eyes shut as she looped her arms around her father's neck. "I miss her.." 

"I know you do, baby, we all miss her." 

---- 

Brandon Fargo stood awkwardly at Pearl's closed door. He chewed his lower lip, not sure if he should take the risk and knock or not. Finally he balled his fist and rapped his knuckles against the grainy wood. 

---- 

Pearlinda Belland sat atop her bed, her legs pulled taunt to her chest and her eyes staring blankly at the wall before her. If she stared long enough, everything before her seemed to fade to black and soon imaginary globes and streaks of color would dance before her eyes until they involuntarily blinked. Her thoughts had been displayed, however, by the rap at the door. She knew who it was, but her lips didn't move to form a response. Then she heard it again and still, she said nothing. The Blessed One closed her eyes, burying her head between her knees as she heard the door squeak open. 

"Pearl?" 

The witchling could feel the bed beside her sink with the weight of her best friend, but she refused to look up at him. 

"Pearl?" Brandon's face was flushed with concern for his best friend. He nervously played with the cuffs of his black shirt. "Pearly?" He attempted, using the affectionate nickname that only he called her. He shook his head in dismay when she still didn'treact tohis presence. Finally he laid a hand on her shoulder and pulled his friend towards him, forcing her eyes to meet his. "I'm worried about you." 

At first she only stared at him with a numbface, as if were she lookingstraight through him. But then her eyes blinked anda pair of tears were born. 

_**----Flashback----**_

_"Mom!" Pearl screamed, her hair flailing as she ran down the stairs with two of her cousins and Brandon at her heels. As she bounded off the last step, water sloshed onto her clothing and began to soak it like a dry sponge. As she neared the pile of debris in which her mother lay, she noticed a larger and much deeper concentration of crimson liquid. "Oh my Goddess!" Bubbles of watery salt stung at her eyelids, but she forcefully blinked them back. _

_The Blessed One sunk to her knees and clasped her hand over her mother's back where the blood was secreting from and forced a healing beam of stem from her palms. The pool of deep red seemed to reverse itself and flow backwards into Paige's body. Soon her entire body jumped as the crushed bones in her spine began to repair themselves, before the wound finally closed itself. A rosy life appeared in the Charmed One's naturally pale cheeks and her chocolate eyes burst open as she awoke with a gasp of life._

_**----Flashback----**_

"I almost lost her," the whitewitch spoke, barely above a whisper. 

Brandon craned his neck, his brown hair fluttering against his eyelashes as he strained to hear Pearl's words. 

She pinched her fingers together and suddenly shoved themcentimeters from Brandon's eyes."This close!" 

Brandon seized his best friend's wrist and forcefully brought it down. He reached out, grabbing her other wrist and brought her hands together, cupping them in his. "But you didn't," he replied forcefully. "And you need to relish that fact that you didn't fail. You saved her life and that's all that matters!" His eyes appeared to electrify. "You have to be strong Pearl! I know you can do it, I've seen you before! This time is no different! If you want to save your aunt, you have to stop wallowing in pity and do something about it!" 

"Don't tell me what to do!" Pearl screamed, flinging her strength against Brandon and casting him off the bed. 

The male witch landed in a heap against the course carpet. He rubbed the side of his now rug burned cheek and rose to his feet. "I'm not going to let you sit around here and drown yourself in misery," he hissed. 

Pearl leapt from the bed, her brown eyes ablaze, and her palm outstretched. "Don't make me use my powers on you, Brandon!" Despite the fresh tears that clung to her chapped skin, she still appeared a formidable foe. 

"I dare you!" Brandon yelled, punctuating each word with a taunting step towards the hybrid. 

A small burst of light ignited itself in Pearl's palm and then glided above her hand, casting a shadow over her fingers. Then the light began to grow into a well rounded, harmless looking globe. 

"I thought you were better than this," Brandon replied acidly. "I guess I was wrong." 

Real thought,something whichhad completely vanished eight months ago,seemed to flicker in Pearlinda's eyes for just a fraction of a second before she let out a war-like cry and flung the exploding globe at Brandon. 

Fortunately a fraction of a second was all he needed. He knew she would release the globe in a fit of rage and he'd anticipated it exactly, catching her wrist just as the globe released itself and teleporting them away, leaving the globe to shatter Pearl's bedroom door. 

---- 

"You just rest," Leo whispered as he laid his daughter onto her soft bed. "Just take a few hours to yourself, baby girl." He gently pressed his lips to his eldest's forehead and pulled the pale blue comforter over her small form. If he ever lost her, he didn't know what he'd do. 

_**----Flashback----**_

_"Agh!" Leo's knees buckled beneath his weight, forcing him to the smokey white ground. His face contorted in agony as three of his witchly charges' lives were fading away. Wrapping his arms around his stomach, he dissolved into angelic bulbs of light._

_----_

_As he orbed in, the rancid smell of blood permeated his nostrils and he covered his mouth, aghast. Once he'd had a moment to survey the scene, he immediately flocked to the edge of the stairs where the bodies of Piper and Pandora appeared to be lifeless. The whitelighter sank to his knees and reached out for Piper. But he felt his heart tug and he knew he was wrong. He knew Piper would want him to save Prue's child before her and he shifted his healing hands to the tiny bloodied form of the telepath._

_During the fall, Pandora's tiny arm had been twisted so violently by the rushing water that it had literally jerked from its socket and broke through the fragile suck, gushing blood in all directions. The child's dark hair was clotted with rapidly cooling blood and sticking to her pale face and shoulders. Where hair and blood weren't, large patches of blue and purple bruising shown clearly._

_Beams of angelic healing rubbed against the white bone jutting from Pandora's tiny arm. After several long minutes, the bone began to shift back into the arm and the water began to lose its red color as the blood retracted from the aquatic mess and flowed back into Pandora's body. Soon the witchling's frail skin melted back together, as if there had never even been a prick, and the dark bruising slowly faded away to reveal the Blessed One's peachy complexion. The cold blood from her hair melted back into her body and began to circulate through her veins, resulting in a very faint pulse. _

_Leo jerked, as a small breath escaped his niece's pale lips. "Thank the heavens," he cried in triumph._

_"Leo, we've got her from here. You take care of Piper."_

_At the sound of Paige's voice, Leo felt as though an infinite amount of weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Without looking back, he lunged his hands to wife's cold body and willed all of his strength into reviving her. "Please," he silently begged when the healing beams didn't come. "Please!"_

_**----Flashback----**_

****

"I love you, daddy." 

"I love you too," Leo whispered. Then his ragged body dissolved into several thousand glowing orb particles and shifted upwards through the ceiling, disappearing from his daughter's room. 

---- 

A shaft of orbs traveled from the ceiling, culminating before the closed attic door into the form of the Halliwells' whitelighter. He stood hesitantly for a moment, before grasping the handle and swinging open the door. 

The Book of Shadows slammed shut and the stand blasted over as the ancient tome jetted from it into the wall and landed roughly against the wooden attic floor. Black smoke billowed from the gaping hole in the Book's center, which completely wiped out two of the o's, the word 'of,' and 'ado'. A orange-red gleam glazed the Book and it repaired itself, but continued to rest upon the hardwood floor. 

"That damn book is no good to me if it can't help me find Prue!" Piper Wyatt stood fiercely behind the pedestal with her fingers stretched out in a claw-like fashion.Messy wisps of hair clung to her fail face and even though she wanted to break down, her fury refused to let her. Without warning, every box and glass window in the attic exploded simultaneously. 

Evading the airborne glass, Leo orbed out only to re-orb next to her moments later. 

Small shards of glass bad embedded themselves within her skin and tiny trickles of blood streamed down her arms. A much larger, scarlet gash revealed itself on her left arm, just above her elbow. 

"Piper," Leo whispered. 

"It doesn't hurt," Piper replied vehemently. 

"Let me heal it for-" 

"No!" 

"Piper, please," Leo placed a soft hand on the small of her back and felt her relax ever so slightly. He eased his hand over the witch's wound and when he removed it, the wound was gone. He brushed his healing hands over her other bare arm and the tiny cuts also disappeared. 

"I need her back, Leo," Piper finally relented, before falling into the angel's arms and sobbing for the second loss of her older sister. 

---- 

A cloud of dust hovered behind the towering shadowy figure as his black cloak drug over the ground. Bright torches cast eery shadows across the wall as The Source of All Evil made his way down an ancient corridor, deep within the bowels of the Underworld. He came to a rough stop at what appeared to be a dead end. 

Two lesser shadowy figure fell to their knees behind their Demon King. 

"Leave us!" 

Ripples enveloped the right and left hand demons and then they were gone. 

Skeletal, yellow fingers ejected from the black sleeve under The Source's cloak and craned to the side. The walls of the corridor seemed to howl in agony before the rock wall shifted to the side, allowing a safe passage for the Demon King. He made his way in and the rock door slammed behind him. 

A small shaft of magical light glowed from the center of the room, revealing a large column of water surging water. Place squarely within its center lay the infamous eight month pregnant, Prudence Trudeau. Her raven hair shook silkily against the rushing water and her skin gleamed between the light and water. A small bubble surrounded the great witch's mouth and nose, apparently there so that she wouldn't drown within the column. After all, without Prue alive, the Prophet Guardian would also perish. 

"Prudence," came The Source's acid tone. He glided over to the water column and continued to whisper to the Charmed One, although he knew she couldn't hear him. His flaky finger stroked longingly against the water. "You'll bring me great pleasure," his voice cooed from deep within the darkness of his hood. 

"My Liege," a husky voice praised from the darkness. 

"Come forth, Huldra." 

A familiar eight foot tall beast arose from the shadows and sauntered towards The Source. "I've kept her preserved, just as you've asked." 

"I'm proud of you, Huldra. You've served me well." 

Prue's abductor flashed her Master a wicked grin, before bowing low to the floor again. 

"Come, see the product of your labor," The Source tempted. Even though his face was hidden, the tone of his voice revealed his inner grin. He waved his skeletalhand at Prue's bulging stomach and a royal purple light emanated, projecting a flickering picture of the unborn fetus in the Charmed One's womb. 

"The Prophet Guardian.." 

The Source poked a bony finger though the projection, with flickered irritably in response. "You'll help me raise the Underworld to great power and eradicate the greater good, once and for all!" 

But what neither of them noticed was that the tiny mouth of the unborn fetus seemed to be delicately moving and as it did so, an iridescent blue glow surrounded both demons who were too focused on what they considered to be the future prodigy of evil to see each other beam. 

---- 

_"So mote it be."_ Pandora Trudeau telepathicallycommunicated. Hereyelids slid apart, revealing her sparkling baby blues. 

"Pandora?" Andrew Trudeau asked his daughter, his tone both eager and frightful. 

"I think it worked," Pandora replied as she scrambled into her father's lap. She twisted her head to give her farther a wry grin. "Da baby likes spells too." 

**_TO BE CONTINUED..._**

A/N: If anyone reads spoilers, did you see that the writers totally snagged the title _Payback's A Witch_ for one of the future episodes this season andwhich just happened to be one that I already used that title for chapter 12 in _Every Halliwell Counts?_


	2. Baywitch

A/N: Hey guys, I'm sure all of you have seen the new "Review Response" feature, which means I'm no longer allowed to write a personal review to you all in this chapter (or any others). I'm really PISSED about this new feature, as I loved writing to all of you and in order to do that now, it'll take up more time! I think we should protest, because with this new rule, we can only respond to those who aren't anonymous reviews (and for some of us, those people are the most important). I'll be looking around for an e-mail address or something that I can ask FFN about, concerning their new policy. And before I forget, "Corona Heights Park" is a place from the _Charmed_ book, _Survival Of The Fittest_. I liked the idea, so I took the place and tweaked it to fit my own purposes, but I did not invent/create it. And this chapter is a play on, "Baywatch". (P.S. _Charmed, Season 1_ was updated. Chapter 21 is now up and ready to read!)

_**Change Happens**_

_**Chapter 2: Baywitch**_

Pearl viciously tore her arm away from the young male witch as soon as her feet fully materialized upon hard ground. The whitelighter-witch's face was contorted in a mixture of rage and anguish. Without thinking, she immediately ambushed her young friend with a barrage of exploding balls of light.

Brandon, quick with instinct, rolled to ground to avoid the first blast and teleported to avoid the second. Within only moments, he'd reappeared behind his friend and slammed her arms against her sides, barely holding them.

"Where are we?" She hissed asked vehemently.

"Don't you recognize it?" Brandon asked, his voice irritatingly calm. "You and I, we come here all the time to get away from the rest of the world." He slowly edged her around in a circle, to survey the entire scene.

A blanket of lush, velvety green covered the ground for all of what one's naked eye could see. Various thick, leafy trees dotted the area along with large patches of small yellow flowers which could almost be mistaken as being painted onto the landscape. The line separating where the sky and grass met was almost non-existent, as it seemed to naturally fade from one to the other. There was even a small fountain in the center of the greenery. The light trickle, along with the perfume breeze, made it fairytale worthy.

"Corona Heights Park," Pearl murmured. She closed her eyes, allowing the sweet breeze to rustle her hair and dry her tear streaked cheeks. "Why did you bring me here?"

"Because I wanted you to give you an escape from life," Brandon replied, loosening his grip upon his friend's arms. "You're hurting and that hurts me." He drew his index finger along the side of Pearl's arm. "Come on," he whispered, gently encasing her hand in his and leading her to the trickling fountain.

In the fountain's center stood Anahita, the Persian Goddess of Water. From her cupped hands sprung the shimmering water, which poured freely into the large marble basin that was shaped as a pentacle. The outer rim of the pentacle was about a foot thick, just enough to make a temporary seat out of.

The fountain itself ran from an untapped, underground spring which flows under Corona Heights. Knowing that, a large community of Pagans and Wiccans had pooled a large lump sum of money together to buy and donate the fountain to the park so that all the natural elements that the park harbored could thrive freely above ground.

"I should be home, trying to find my aunt," Pearl protested.

"You weren't doing that anyway," Brandon gently reminded. He pulled his black sleeves to his elbows and thrust his hands into the cool, clear water. "I have an idea," he whispered quietly. The male witch cupped his hands, filling them with the pure liquid, and surfaced them to Pearl's face. "I want to cast a spell."

"A spell? Brandon, the last time-"

"No, we were stupid then. This is serious. You've said your demon harbors the elements of water and air, which is why we should cast an elemental spell. And what a better place than to do it than here, in Corona Heights? This place radiates the elements, which is why so many people come here to celebrate the Sabbaths!"

Pearl began to absently chew her lower lip, considering the possibility. After a few long, tense moments, she finally relented. "Okay. Where do we start?"

Brandon threw his arms to the air, allowing the sparkling droplets to rain down upon him and Pearl. He dried his hands on his black jeans and then pulled a piece of white chalk from his left pocket. "Here, draw a pentacle and I'll prepare the spell."

----

Phoebe stared down at her powder white knuckles, as she clutched the golden handle of Prue's bedroom door. Slowly, the door creaked open as the Charmed One made her way inside. She blinked back the salty darts behind her eyes and quietly shut the wooden door behind her. The psychic was determined to find out what had happened to her older sister and how to get her back. She had tried locator spells, scrying, translocation spells, good old fashion searching the Underworld, and interrogating demons. It had gotten her nowhere. Now she turned to her last hope, her premonitions. _What a better place than Prue's room?_ She thought, casting her gaze upon it.

The room was just as the eldest Charmed One had left it. The bed was perfectly made, as Prue had done every day since their mother drowned. Prue's half of the closet was open, revealing rows of perfectly placed shoes. Heels on the left, gradually switching to less casual and more comfortable, ending with tennis shoes on the right. In the same fashion, her clothing was also perfectly aligned on color coded hangers and several boxes were neatly arranged on the top shelf. A floor length mirror sat in the corner of the room and a pair of Prue's blue slippers sat next to it. A terry cloth robe was nicely laying at the edge of the bed, just above the slippers. Prue's black leather jacket hung on the corner of the mirror, clearly Prue had been planning to wear it later that day. Several pictures of the family lined the walls and placed on a dresser near the bed was an immediate family portrait of Prue, Andy, and Pandora just after Pandora's Wiccaning.

Andy, who'd takenthe abductionalmost as hard as Piper, had not even been able to go into Prue's room after the incident. So until now, nothing had nothing had been moved since that fateful day eight months ago. This had resulted in a fine layer of dust which now covered everything in the telekinetic's room.

Phoebe lightly crossed the carpet, crossing over to the bed. She placed her hand to Prue's pillow, but nothing happened. She brushed her opposite hand across the top of the bed, still nothing. The psychic grabbed for the rough terry cloth bathrobe and pulled it close to her chest, silently praying for a premonition to strike her. "Come on," she breathed, soaking up the scent of her sister's strawberry shampoo. Angrily, she cast away the bathrobe and grabbed the picture from the dresser. Nothing. "Come on, damnit!"

Phoebe leapt to her feet and stalked over to the closet, angrily swinging her hand over the blues and blacks and grays of Prue's many suits. Then she bent down, tapping at the shoes. _Why? This should be working!_ She wanted to scream, she wanted to cry. It was as if all her emotions were caught in a doorframe, all trying to squeeze out at the same time, and so she couldn't express any of them. The psionic slid to the floor and began to viciously bang her fists against it. "Prue! Just give me a sign!" Then her breath seemed to catch in her throat, her heart began to pound, and she grasped at her chest as psychic energy pummeled its way into her mind's eye.

_**----Premonition----**_

_"Come forth, Huldra." _

_A familiar eight foot tall beast arose from the shadows and sauntered towards The Source. "I've kept her preserved, just as you've asked." _

_"I'm proud of you, Huldra. You've served me well." _

_Prue's abductor flashed her Master a wicked grin, before bowing low to the floor again._

_**----Premonition----**_

Phoebe's eyes seemed to electrify as she was thrown from her premonition. The witch looked around. She hadn't touched anything but the frail carpet. Her mind raced with questions as she replayed the scenes in her mind. Phoebe's full lips began to move in a slow motion, full of concentration. "Huldra. Huldra." She couldn't even understand what the premonition had meant. She knew it was a demon, one in which she'd never seen before. Then her mouth went dry as realization backhanded her across the face. "Piper!" The Charmed One pulled herself from the floor and eagerly raced at the door. "Paige!"

----

"Help!" A young African-American man stumbled forward, barely avoiding tripping over his own feet as he ran for his life. "Help!" He screamed again, swerving around a corner and running down a long alley way. Dirt coated the air behind his feet, clouding the vision of his attackers. Blackish-brown water sloshed beneath his feet as he darted through a puddle, awaking a sleeping bum next to a rusted and overflowing dumpster. Suddenly he grinded to a halt as he came to a rust covered chain link gate, blocking his way out of the alley.

"We got you now," a snarly demon grinned, approaching the young African-American. His face was a mass of mutilated gray-brown tissue, dotted with several irregular moles. Leathery red scars were visible from the side of the demon's right cheek on down to the base of his throat. His eyes appeared as tiny black holes and rustic colored saliva seemed to spray from his lips as he spoke.

The young man backed against the gate, locking eyes with the deformed demon. Suddenly the gate behind him began to rattle and the granules of dirt beneath his feet began to levitate. "Help!" He screamed, skywards. The young man had faced many demons, both mortal and magical, but he knew that he couldn't defeat the entire gang that stood before him on his own. "Please," he begged, as the gate finally blasted from it's foundations. The boy flung back, losing his balance and toppled helplessly to the ground.

The mutated demon held out his three fingered, crumpled hand and a dark plume of smoke appeared. It began to shift and manipulate itself into a dark shape of a dagger as he advanced on his victim.

About a foot between the young man and the demon, glowing angelic orbs began to congregate in mid air and take shape into the young and vibrant form of Paige Belland. Her dark hair fluttered in her face from the distress of the flustered orb. The whitewitch took a moment to realize the danger of the situation and then thrust out her arm in much the fashion of her older half sister. "Demon!" She shrieked, forcing the mangled creature to dissolve into a burst of angelic light.

The mass of humming whitelighter orbs coursed backwards like a shooting star in reverse, crashing directly into the web of demons that had accompanied their leader. If the danger hadn't been so real, it would've been almost comical, as all the demons toppled like bowling pins to a bowling ball thrown by its skilled master. Jumbled moans, screams, and even profanity pierced the rancid air just moments after impact.

"Finally," the young male hissed. "I've been calling you!"

"I'm new at this," Paige lashed out in retaliation. She sunk to her knees. "Are you hurt?"

"Just get me out of here!"

Paige narrowed her dark eyes in a menacing manner, before gripping the young man's wrist and dissolving them both in a burst of orbs.

----

"Leo! Leo!" Piper yelled, staring expectantly at the ceiling.

A moment later, Leo dissolved before his wife. He still looked as jagged as he had just days earlier, with the exception that he had managed a few minutes to shave the golden shadow from his face and change into plain blue cotton t-shirt. "What?" He asked, his eyes glowing with eagerness. Every time Piper had called him, he hoped to the heavens that it would be information about how to save his sister-in-law.

"Look," Phoebe exclaimed, proudly shoving an intricately pencil drawn picture into her brother-in-law's hands.

"What is this?" Leo asked, curiously gazing down at the hand drawing of the hideous monster that had taken Prue.

"It's the beast that took Prue," Piper spat. The witch's hands were literally trembling with a plethora of emotions.

"Her name's Huldra," the psychic Charmed One continued as she jabbed the center of the drawing with her index finger. Her pooling eyes seemed to enlarge with each word she spoke. "I got a premonition, Leo! She's working side by side with The Source! He sent her to take Prue, I know it!"

"And you got all this from your premonition?"

"I sketched her from my premonition, just like I did with the crystal sword of the Lord Of War. But that's beside the point. I heard The Source call her by name, Leo. We need you to take that sketch to The Elders and get any and all the information you can about her. I've already given a copy to Cole and he's in the Underworld right now."

"Phoebe-"

"Go!" Piper roared, the sound of her voice literally blasting a hole in the ceiling. Powdery dust and plaster seemed to careen down around the two middle Charmed Ones. Piper raised her hands in fury, causing the plaster and dust around them to suspend in mid air. "Hurry!"

Fearing destruction more catastrophic than the last, Leo took his cue to flee the Manor with the sketch. A small flicker of hope still burning within his heart.

No sooner had the whitelighter left, did a shrill voice scream from the attic. "Piper! Phoebe!"

Without further ado, Phoebe charged up the stairs, her dark ponytail flailed behind her. For some reason, she'd taken to only pulling her hair back in Prue's absence. Possibly because it was easier to keep the hair from her face when she thought about what her older sister might be going through. Possibly because it was easier to look over her shoulder. Whatever the reason, it was uncharacteristic for the young witch and that worried the second oldest.

----

"My ankle," the young man moaned, reaching for his lower leg.

Paige raked her hands through her deep colored hair, examining her newest charge with suspect. "Your glasses," she said, gently adjusting the boy's askewed spectacles.

"You look familiar," the young witch said suddenly. He chewed his lower lip, his eyes roaming Paige's face curiously. "What's your name?"

"Paige," the witchlighter replied. She held out a porcelain hand. "What's yours?"

At that moment, the attic burst open, followed by the clomping of two pairs of feet across the worn hardwood floor. "Paige, what's going-"

The young man craned his head to look at the two sisters, his eyes practically bulging from their sockets in shock and surprise. His mouth drooped into a loose 'o' shape.

"Oh my god!" Piper gasped, wringing her hands together in surprise.

"M-Max?" Phoebe gaped at the young African-American man.

**_TO BE CONTINUED..._**


	3. Air Is Foul And Foul Is Air

A/N: This chapter on the Shakespeare's, "Fair is foul and foul is fair." I'm sorry, I know this chapter is a shorter one. I'm sorry. I was trying to post this last night, but there must have been another glitch in the FFN system, because it kept telling me that I had an "empty document." 

**_Change Happens_**

**_Chapter 3: Air Is Foul And Foul Is Air_**

"You know each other?" Paige gaped, flashing confused glances between her older sisters and her first charge. 

"Well yeah," Phoebe exclaimed, pointing to Max. "I'd know that face anywhere! But the question is, how do you know Max?" Her brow furrowed and she placed her hands to her hips, eyeing her little sister. 

"Oh, don't give me that tone, Phoebe Halliwell!" Paige narrowed her eyes. "And for your information, he's my first charge." She made a peace sign with her index and middle finger and then pointed them towards her sisters. "How do you know my charge?" 

"Prue," Piper said, inching closer to Max and Paige. "His powers were unleashed after his mother died and a pair of robbers were using him to-" 

"Rob a bank," Max cut in. He ran his dark hand over his thin layer of black hair. "Prue saved me. She helped me understand my power and embrace my mother's heritage." He looked curiously from Piper, to Phoebe, and finally back to Paige. "How do you know them, Paige? Are you their whitelighter too?" 

"No," Phoebe waved her hand. "She's our sister." 

Confusion instantly drowned Max's facial features. "What? But I thought-" 

"I'm their half sister," Paige cut in. "We really don't have time to get into this. But the cliff note's version is, I'm half witch on our mother's side and half whitelighter on my father's side. I came to them after The Elders staged Prue's death and then she was brought back when I got pregnant." 

"Wh-where is Prue?" Max asked, his gaze flicking to the elder Charmed Ones. 

Piper and Phoebe exchanged sorrowful looks. 

"Is she-" 

"No!" The three sisters cried in unison, surprising not only Max but themselves all at the same time. 

"But-" 

"We don't know," the psychic snapped. She drew in a long, deep breath. "I'm sorry." She wiped her hand across her forehead. "We don't know. She was abducted by a demon eight months ago and we've been searching ever since then." 

"But you're the Charmed Ones! How can you not know where she is?" 

"This is very powerful evil that we're dealing with, Max. The Source. He wants Prue's daughter." 

"Prue has a daughter?" 

"She has two. But the one he's after is her unborn daughter, which is why he hasn't killed her yet." 

"You mean-" 

"She's still pregnant." 

Sweat pierced the young African-American's brow, as he turned away from the sisters and headed towards the Book of Shadows. "Maybe I can help?" 

"No!" Piper barked, flicking her fingers in angry frustration. "This is far too dangerous and I won't risk your life too!" 

"I'm sorry, Piper, but I'm not a little boy anymore. Prue saved me all those years ago and now I want to return the favor." 

"If we, the Charmed Ones, can't find her, what makes you think that you can?" 

Max stared down at the leather bound cover of the ancient Warren tome. "Your Book of Shadows?" 

"Why?" Paige asked, wary of her new charge and his history with her half sisters. 

"You said she was abducted, right?" 

"Yes." 

"Do you know who abducted her?" 

"What're you thinking?" The psionic asked. She walked over to the psychokinetic. "And she's not in the Book." 

"She?" 

"The demon who took Prue." 

"But then-" 

"Give me your hands." 

"Why?" 

"You said you wanted to see the demon who took Prue, right?" 

"Yes, but-" 

"Just trust me. If you want us to trust you with helping to save Prue, it has to work both ways." 

Max drew out a breath he hadn't realized that he was holding in. "Fine." He placed his dark chocolate skinned hands into Phoebe's awaiting, milky palms. He was about to open his mouth, when a striking burst of psychic energy crashed into his mind, followed by a series of powerful images. 

_**----Premonition----**_

_"Come forth, Huldra." _

_The milky white,eight foot tall beast with a shield ofbulging musclesarose from the shadows and sauntered towards The Source. "I've kept her preserved, just as you've asked." _

_"I'm proud of you, Huldra. You've served me well." _

_Prue's abductor flashed her Master a wicked grin, before bowing low to the floor again._

_**----Premonition----**_

The psychokinetic staggered back, not used to such a blast of mental power. "How did you-"

"My power of premonition has grown a lot since we last saw you, Max." She narrowed her dark brown eyes. "Do you have what you need?"

"No, we'll need reinforcements."He turned on his heel and began to walk towards the door. Without looking back, he clicked his fingers and magical heirloom rose from its pedestal and began to follow Max's path. "Come on, you're going to have to show me where your kitchen is."

The youngest Charmed Ones exchanged ranging from surprise to paranoia and then as if one, they all glided towards the attic door.

----

Thick clouds of white dust flitted against air particles, before finally drifting off unto their own paths, clearing the air in front of Pearl's face. She quickly turned her head into the sixty degree angle formed by her craned elbow and released a thundering sneeze.

Brandon suppressed the urge to giggle, as he wiped his damp hands against his black jeans. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," Pearl replied, waving her hand in front of her face out of fear that more dust might be lurking there to tickle her nasal passage.

"It looks great," Brandon approved, as he circled the chalk pentacle.

"So how exactly are we going to do this?"

"I figure that since the demon who took your aunt is composed of the air and water elements, we'll use fire, earth, and spirit to summon her." He tromped over to a path of overturned earth and scooped a pile of the dark matter into his hands. The male witch walked to the top point of the pentacle. "Spirit," he murmured, walking to the ancient symbol's center and glanced to his right. "Air," he took a few more steps and stopped at the point below air. "Earth." He gently bent down, placing the rich soil on its designated point.

"Brandon," Pearl grumbled, plucking a wriggling worm from the pile.

Brandon brushed his soil covered hands over his dirty pants. "What? It's an earthworm," he smirked, putting emphasis on 'earth.'

The Blessed One rolled her brown eyes and walked over to the small hole where Brandon had snatched the dirt from, placing the worm down and covering it with a small layer of rich dirt. "And how do you propose we get fire?"

"You've obviously never been camping," Brandon smirked, as he broke a few smaller branches from one of the lower hanging trees and headed over to the point across from earth.

"Never struck my fancy." Pearl raked her fingers through her long, dark hair. "You're not really going to try and start it with sticks, are you?"

"It's how cavemen did it." The boy witch knelt to one knee and began to skillfully shimmy the sticks together.

"It's not going to..." Her speech stopped mid sentence, when her ears caught the sound of a small zapping noise. The witch drew her hand to her forehead, cutting the glare of the sun. "It's not going to work."

Brandon sharply drew the stick in his right hand against the one in his left. The twig hissed, screamed, and then a small blue flame bit at his fingers. He grinned, struck the sticks together again, and then time the flame furiously rose against him, swallowing the whole of both sticks. It cackled as small bits of black ash fluttered away in the breeze. "You were saying?"

A small smile graced her lips, as Pearlinda crossed her arms across her chest. "Okay, okay. But what about spirit? How do we show that?" She blinked and her friend was gone. "Brandon?" As the whitelighter was about to turn, she felt his hand on her shoulder.

"Pearl, you're the most spirited person I know." He gently entwined his hand with her's and led her over to the head point. He released her and stepped back. "Just stand there, okay? I'll take care of the spell."

"But-"

Brandon drew his finger across his lips, signaling her to zip it. Then he dug into his jean pocket and pulled out a small, wrinkled piece of paper. "'Earth, fire, and spirit conspire!'"

Pearl's eyes shifted to the left as the flickering flame blazed into an inferno of raw, blistering power. Then her mocha irises darted to the right, latching onto the sight of the soil churning and expanding all on its own. Finally, she allowed herself to look down at her own hands, which were glowing with fluorescent lavender energy. She could feel her hair itching with magic, as it pulled in the opposite direction of her scalp. "Brandon!"

"'Water and air, my heart desires! Bring forth now, the demon for hire!'"

The robin's egg blue sky cracked with streaks of vivid, blue lightning as the color drained away to reveal a deathly shade of gray. Thunder echoed, like billions of metal cookie sheets crashing together. The trees began a choppy dance and ice cold pellets of water began to flee from the sky like the tears of a thousand ghosts.

The rain thrashed heavily into the center of the pentacle, but never actually touched the ground, as it was swept up by gale force winds, which eventually combined to form an unmatched cyclone. It spun wildly in an attempt to envelope everything in its immediate surroundings.

Fortunately the fire arched its way around the outer circle of the pentacle, forming a blazing ring of blistering orange-red flames. Then the brown earth expanded to line the inner five pointed star in a rich, mahogany color. Finally, the glowing purple aura that surrounded the whitewitch exploded like a parachute over the expanse of the pentacle. It formed a large, glowing purple bubble over the circle, meeting with the edging of the flames and then dropping down purple rays to meet the earthly soil over the star's lines. The cyclone was caught in the glowing constraints of the five sided pentagon in the star's center.

Suddenly the water seemed to pool from the cyclone, filling up the pentagon like a bathtub, and then merging together to form the massive, eight foot tall demon that had abducted the telekinetic Charmed One.

"You!" Huldra roared, raising her beefy arms and flinging them outwards. Hurricane force winds, combined with a tsunami of water, literally blasted the magical walls of pentacle. The fire was drowned out, the soil washed away, and Pearl slammed across the park and landing in a wet heap in a clump of bushes. "I should've taken all of you out when I had the chance!" She waved her arm again, summoning the water into a counterclockwise whirlpool, immediately sucking Pearl and Brandon under. Huldra's chest heaved, as she cackled at the sight of drowning victims.

**_TO BE CONTINUED..._**


	4. Water You Thinking?

A/N: This is a play that I partially stole from myself from last year (let's just say coming up with a pun for that Science competency took quite a few hours). It's a play on, "What were you thinking?" 

_**Change Happens**_

_**Chapter 4: Water You Thinking?**_

"Phoebe, could you please fill this bowl for me?" Max asked, his voice muffled by the fact that his head was currently stuffed in the herb cupboard. Without waiting for her reply, a tan ceramic bowl drifted up from the island and into Phoebe's awaiting arms. "Thank you." 

"Well aren't you bossy?" 

Max snickered. "It comes with old age." 

"Well if you're old then that makes me..." Phoebe frowned as she stopped at the sink and placed the bowl in the basic. "Hey, you totally tricked me into that!" 

"I know," Max grinned, pulling his head out of the herb cupboard. 

Phoebe reached for the sink handle and turned on the water, unfortunately too high and it hit the bowl, splashing back onto the psychic witch. Suddenly her body went rigid and her lids fluttered, as the water provoked another premonition. 

_**----Premonition----**_

_"You!" Huldra roared, raising her beefy arms and flinging them outwards. Hurricane force winds, combined with a tsunami of water, literally blasted the magical walls of pentacle. The fire was drowned out, the soil washed away, and Pearl slammed across the park and landing in a wet heap in a clump of bushes. "I should've taken all of you out when I had the chance!" She waved her arm again, summoning the water into a counterclockwise whirlpool, immediately sucking Pearl and Brandon under. Huldra's chest heaved, as she cackled at the sight of drowning victims._

_**----Premonition----**_

Phoebe felt her body collapse into the strong arms of thenow 25-year-old Max Franklin. She raked at the collar of her shirt, as Max helped her back to her feet. "Pearl," she gasped. "Brandon!"

"What about Pearl and Brandon?" Paige asked, suddenly alarmed.

"Huldra! She's-she's..." Phoebe struggled to breath. "She's drowning them!"

"Where are they?" Paige nearly screamed, her brown eyes becoming the size of two root beer colored boulder marbles.

Phoebe shook her head, blinking as she tried desperately to place the scene. "I-I don't know!"

----

Brandon could feel the frigid water pounding against his body, bruising his ribs and coursing up his nose and into his mouth. His eyes burning and all he could see was the murky, swirling masses around him. He'd tried several times to teleport, but he couldn't. Now he could feel himself becoming less and less coherent. What was worse, he knew he was drowning. He knew he was dying and so was Pearl, but he couldn't do anything to stop it.

Huldra pounded her palms together, forcing a powerful wave to crash over the youngsters with bone crushing power. She howled with wicked laughter, preparing for another full on assault. Before she had time, however, she felt her body taking flight. She stared down, her spinning blue irises wide with confusion and, almost, fear. Then her body went hurdling backs and was flung directly into the a granite park monument, inscribed with the park's name and its founder. From her weight and the force of the blow, the monument instantly cracked in several places and collapsed under her weight.

Pearl's lungs burned as she desperately tried to inhale, which only resulted in her lungs filling with rushing water. Her eyes bulged as her chest caved in on her and she could feel her life swiftly draining away as she sunk like a brick under the swirling whirlpool.

ThenPearlinda found herself stopping and her course reversed. Now she was heading towards the surface like a rocket, propelling away from the Earth's surface. She inhaled as soon as her nose reached the air, her throat and lungs burning. Then she felt her body convulse, as she spewed the sickly water from her stomach and lungs. She gazed around, searching for her savior. She saw nobody, yet she was still suspended in mid air. It was almost as if two, invisible arms were wrapped tightly around her body.

_Brandon!_The Blessed One's mind screamed, as her senses came flooding back to her. "B-Brandon," she choked, her eyes searching frantically for her best friend. Then, from her peripheral vision, she saw a cloud of orbs descend from the sky and materialize into the three slender figures of her mother and two aunts. "M-mom!" She mustered,salt filled tears beginning to pierce her red eyes. "Brandon!"

Paige's eyesdartedaround the swirling water and then into the air, herchest giving in slightly as she knew that heronly child was safely above Huldra's whirlpool, for now. Then Pearl's words stung her mind. "Brandon!" She screamed. Had she hadplaintelekinetic powers,it iscertain thatthe sheer power of hervoice would've rocketed the entire park.Mere milliseconds later, swaddles of orbsdeposited the drenched brunettemale at Paige's feet.

"Leo!" Phoebe screamed, dropping to her knees and beginning to push her palms into Brandon's chest. She turnedthe witch's head to his side, allowing the water from his lungs to gush out his mouth. "Leo!"

Moments later, a flurry of baby blue and angelic white deposited the whitelighter onthe ground, next tothe teleporter. He quickly held his hands overBrandon's sopped body and goldenlight began to illuminate him.

"Thankthe heavens," Paige breathed, dropping to her knees aswell. "Will be okay?"

"Yeah, just give me a moment," Leoanswered, as more water trickled from Brandon's nose. "It's okay, son. Just breath." Thehealing light faded and he placed his hand behindBrandon's back, propping him upright.

Brandon rubbed hisneck, allowing a few coughs to rack his body.

"Are you okay?" Paige inquired.

Brandon looked around. "Where's Pearl?" Heasked suddenly. "Is-isshe okay?"

The psychic laid a gentle hand on the boy witch's shoulder. "She's fine, Leo's going to go check on her right now." She shifted her chocolate gaze to her whitelighter brother-in-law, "Right Leo?"

Before Leo could respond however, his body was literally blown off his feet by tornado force winds. His body crashed full force into the ground and shattered into blinking orbs.

Piper whirled around, coming face to face with Huldra, with was glaring malevolently at her. "Bitch!" The timer screamed, thrusting her palms outwards and blasting the ground beneath the water-air demon, sending her sailing through the air.

Huldra's body began to shift and fizzle, dissolving into a whipping tornado and spinning wildly at Piper, stopping her attack before it could do any harm.

_**----Flashback----**_

_A tornado of windblasts through the front door._

_"Phoebe!" Piper screamed._

_The telekinetic Charmed One echoed her call. "Phoebe!"_

_The tornadorockets throughthe foyer and knocks Prue and Piper to the floor. A booming clap of thunder breaks the air, and the tornado calms downto revealShax. His body is outrageously tall and his skin appeared the color of decaying flesh.The wind demon was clad in a pair of tattered pants and an unbuttoned shirt._

_Doctor Griffiths cowered in fear. "Dear god!"_

_"No!" Prue leapt from the ground, racing at the innocent and shoving him out of the way. Before she had time to react, her body was impaled by Shax's massive energy ball and she literally crashed through the wall, landing in a heap of plaster and blood._

_"Prue!" Piperscrambled to her feet, only to be met with the same fate as her older sister._

_**----Flashback----**_

Piper threw up her arms, her fingers flexing in front of her as she activated her ability to slow down time. She watched as her newest power slowly took effect on the twisting tornado, slowing it top the speed of an F2, where it had originally been the speed of an F5, the highest on the Fujita scale. Then the freezing witch narrowed her eyes, her fingers stretching out once more as she activated her first ever power, the ability to freeze time. Her heart was pounding as she willed the tornado to stop in its tracks. Moments later, the leaves stopped fluttering and the birds stopped chirping. The air was still and everything in Corona Heights Park was frozen, except for the witches.

"It won't last long," Piper whispered, turning to her younger sisters. "She's too powerful. It took nearly everything I had." Her eyes fluttered as she teetered on the brink of fainting.

"Are you okay?" Paige asked, concerned.

"Fine," Piper replied, her voice sounding bitter and cold.

"How do we contain her? We need her to find Prue." Phoebe spoke up, looking between her baby and elder sisters.

"And we need to hurry!" Paige said, goose pimples prickling her tender white skin. "I can feel her evil slowly breaking through."

Phoebe's body began to shake as yet another premonition over powered her. It was just the same way it had been in Prue's room. Completely unprovoked and just before her mind was pulled into the premonition, she wondered how.

_**----Premonition----**_

_The being waved her ghostly hand and the bloody water rose from the ground and manipulated itself into a gurgling massive ball, which cast itself into Prue's stomach and knocked her against the wall. Then a red tower of water arose around the raven haired witch and trapped her. The creature glided through the water over to Prue's bloody column and shoved her hand into the water._

_----_

_A small shaft of magical light glowed from the center of the room, revealing a large column of water surging water. Place squarely within its center lay the infamous eight month pregnant, Prudence Trudeau. Her raven hair shook silkily against the rushing water and her skin gleamed between the light and water. A small bubble surrounded the great witch's mouth and nose, apparently there so that she wouldn't drown within the column._

_"Prudence," came The Source's acid tone. He glided over to the water column and continued to whisper to the Charmed One, although he knew she couldn't hear him. His flaky finger stroked longingly against the water. "You'll bring me great pleasure," his voice cooed from deep within the darkness of his hood. _

_"My Liege," a husky voice praised from the darkness. _

_"Come forth, Huldra." _

_A familiar eight foot tall beast arose from the shadows and sauntered towards The Source. "I've kept her preserved, just as you've asked."_

_**----Premonition----**_

"Phoebe!" Paige screamed, as the wind began to whip her hair wildly around her face.

"I have an idea!" Phoebe gasped, propelling her body into the air with her levitational powers. She narrowed her eyes, empathically summoning Huldra's powers to herself, just as the tornado broke through Piper's powers.

Huldra, in tornado form, quickly accelerated back to F5 power and darted at Piper, sucking everything in her path. Just as she was about to vacuum in the eldest of the remaining Charmed sisters, she felt herself bounce backwards, as if hitting an invisible wall. The wind howled, as she morphed into her demonic form and rose up on a tower of blasting water. "Witches!" She screamed, looking for a telekinetic among the group. To her surprise, she saw none of whom she knew possessed telekinetic powers.

"Kiss this!" Paige screamed, fling out her arm and forcing a tree to dissolve into orbs and impaling itself into Huldra's chest as it reformed. "Phoebe, hurry!"

Phoebe spun around in mid air, narrowing her eyes as the pools of water left over from Huldra's whirlpool attack and swirled her palms together, making the water rise into the air and manipulate itself into a gurgling ball, just as Huldra had done in her premonition. She flicked her body in the opposite direction and thrust out her arm, using Huldra's own abilities to cast the water ball straight into her body. A column of murky water instantly arose around the beast, trapping her inside, just as she had done to Prue. Then she lowered herself to the ground.

"But how?" Brandon asked. "I thought since she was water and air, she was immune to being trapped in water?"

"Just because Prue's telekinetic, doesn't mean she's immune to telekinetic attacks, Brandon." Phoebe gently explained, helping the boy to his feet. "Come on, we need to get out of here before someone sees this." Phoebe took Paige's hand. "You and I will take her to the basement. Brandon, I want you to take Piper and Pearl home, where Leo can check Pearl, okay?"

The teleporter nodded and walked over to his best friend, who was no longer being held in mid air, and formed a circle before transporting the three of them to the Manor.

"How long do you think this will hold?" Paige asked, warily walking towards the water column.

"I don't know. In my premonition, it looks as if that's what The Source has been keeping Prue in."

"This entire time?"

The clairvoyant nodded. "Come on, just orb us to the basement." She took Paige's hand.

Paige timidly placed her palm against the swishing column and the angelic lights culminated around them, before sweeping them into the air and disappearing towards the sky.

**_TO BE CONTINUED..._**


	5. Full Manor

A/N: Okay, there seemed to be a little confusion about how Pearl and Brandon were saved from the whirlpool last chapter. The force that pulled them out was Max's psychokinesis. His powerwas also the one Huldra slammed into (and was thrown by), which was why she was confused when she saw no telekinetic among them. This is a play on the television show, "Full House".

**_Change Happens_**

**_Chapter 5: Full Manor_**

"Who are you?" Andy barked, stopping dead in his tracks as he entered the kitchen to see Max seated at the island. He took his daughter's hand and gently pushed her behind him. His bloodshot eyes bore into Max's as he awaited a plausible answer.

"I-Inspector Trudeau?" Max choked, his espresso eyes large with recollection.

Pandora tugged lightly at her father's sleeve. "Max, daddy. Max."

Max shifted his eyes to the small witchling, who was peering at him from behind Andy. He mentally noted her striking resemblance to Prue. "Are you-are you Prue's daughter?" He asked, sliding off the stool and kneeling down to Pandora's eye level.

"Who are you?" Andy hissed, scooping Pandora into his arms and holding her protectively against his chest.

"You don't remember me?" The psychokinetic inquired. He came towards Andy, stopping at arm's length. "Max? Max Franklin?"

Andy briefly clasped his eye lids closed. _Max Franklin? Who is Max Franklin?_

"The bank robbery. Don't you remember? Prue came and saved me."

"Prue," the Inspector breathed. His hold around Pandora loosened. "You were supposed to unlock the safe."

"Yeah and Prue used her powers to help save me."

"What're you doing here?" The mortal finally relented.

"Using my powers to help save her."

Andy's jaw seemed to loosen and slightly drop, his mouth forming a small 'o' shape. He swallowed the forming lump in his throat, preparing to speak when a group of people materialized out of the corner of his eye.

"Andy? What're you doing down here?" Piper asked, briskly walking towards him.

"We heard noise in the kitchen," Andy explained, setting his child on the floor. "We came to see what was going on."

"And we founded Max," the telepath exclaimed. She giggled, flashing a toothy grin at the African-American witch.

"What's going on?" The mortal asked, glancing quizzically around the room.

"We're trying to save Prue."

"And you brought Max back?"

"We didn't bring him back," Piper snapped. "He's Paige's first charge. He insisted on helping."

"Why would they assign Max to Paige? Shouldn't healready have a whitelighter?"

"Does that really matter right now?" Piper hissed.

"No, it's fine." Max interjected. "Arlene, my whitelighter, was killed by darklighters two weeks ago. They had to reassign me."

"But why Paige?"

At that moment, the basement door came flying open, followed by the entrance of Paige and Phoebe.

"Because they've decided since I've had experience with children while working at South Bay, they'd only assign me children and young teens. With Max, as my one exception. They didn't say why."

Phoebe placed her fingers to her temples. "Does this really matter right now?" She held her hands at equal heights, palms facing the ceilings. "Somehow," she said as she moved her hands in contrasting directions, "this doesn't compare."

"You're right," Andy bowed his head. "I'm so-"

"It's okay," Piper breathed as she placed a calming hand on his shoulder. "I understand."

"We should start working on a potion," the psychic directed.

"For what?"

"To vanquish Huldra."

"No! We need her!"

"Andy, calm down! Look, we've been doing this for a long time, we know what we're doing."

"But you don't know what we did," the Inspector calmly replied. He picked up his daughter and ran his hand through her raven curls.

"Andy, what's going on?" Paige asked, placing her hands squarely on her hips.

"Pandora and I, we place a hex on Prue's abductors."

"What?"

"I don't know if you forgot, but you don't have powers," Paige corrected.

"Pandora telepathically connected with her sister. Together they chanted the spell to hex Huldra and The Source."

"And you didn't happen to run this by us before you did it?" Piper raged.

"Piper!" Paige glared. "Be quiet and let him speak!" Her brunette eyes landed back on her mortal brother-in-law. "What kind of hex, Andy? Do you remember the words? What was it supposed to do?"

Andy carefully extracted a small, neatly folded piece of paper from his breast pocket and extended it to the witchlighter Charmed One.

The whitelighter-witch's eyes seemed to bulged from their sockets as the paper fell from her finger tips.

"Paige? Paige! What's going on?" Phoebe asked, scrambling to the floor to grab the hex.

"Prue's going to die if we don't get to her and reverse this!"

"What?" Andy gaped. "No! I worded that so that if one of them tried to touch Prue, they would be vanquished! Not Prue!"

Paige held out her hand, orbing the hex from Phoebe and shoving it into Andy's face. "Look! You've poisoned her skin!"

"It was supposed to be a poisoned touch."

"But it's not!" The whitewitch placed a palm to her forehead. "Phoebe, start working on a spell. Piper, I want a potion."

"Who put you in charge?" Piper fumed, stalking up to her little sister.

Paige's brown irises bore right into those of her elder sister. "Nobody, I just decided to take charge." Without breaking her gaze, she snagged Andy's shirt collar and orbs began to devour them from their feet on up. "And I want the kids in the attic, now!" She ordered, before vanishing completely.

----

A raging inferno erupted into a towering column, allowing the King of Evil to step from it. He stood on a rocky, reddish-brown platform which overlooked an underground stadium of evil underlings who all waited impatiently for his command. Where there had once been a murmur of demonic voices, now there was silence. The Source began to toss a red-orange ball of flames upon his skeletal hand.

"I'm missing an assassin," the black cloaked demon raged. "I want to know where Huldra has gone!"

One of the lower levels timidly raised his skinny arm.

"What information do you have form me?"

"I have heard that she was summoned..."

"Summoned?" The Source hissed, his bony fingers crunching around the fireball. "By whom?"

"A Blessed One and her male witch, Sire."

"A Blessed One!"

"The eldest, Sir."

"Agh!" The hooded demon hurled his ball of flames right into the low level demon, watching with temporary glee as the demon screamed in agony and then exploded into nothing but charcoal tinted ash. He waved his yellowed fingers over the crowd. "I want a full on attack!" When nobody moved,the walls began to shake. "Now!"

In unison the crowd began to disperse in shimmers, flames, electric bolts, flares, and an array of other demonic teleportive abilities until absolutely no one was left.

The Source turned on his heel, silently vowing to destroy all but one of the Warren line once and for all. The demonic King flamed out mid stride.

----

"P-Paige!" Andy hollered, clutching Pandora tightly to his body.

Before Paige even had time to lift her nose from the brittle pages of her leather bound family heirloom, she felt her body encase her with goose flesh. Her breathing became rapid, as more evil poured into the Manor's walls. "Get away from them!" Paige shrieked, her eyes lifting to her brother-in-law and niece.

Clouds of bright angelic light enveloped the demons who were charging at the Trudeaus, absolving them into orbs before returning them to their whole state, followed by a pounding against the opposite wall.

The whitewitch placed her hands squarely on each side of the leather bound Book and disappeared in a spray of orbs.

"Paige! Paige!" The mortal Inspector panicked. Then he looked up to see orbs encircling him and Pandora, before they too disappeared in orbs which flew to the ceiling and vanished.

----

"Phiona!" Pearl yelled, as another demon exploded via her light ball attack.

"Oh-oh!" Phiona raised her hand and slashed it through the air in a jagged motion. Orbs sprayed from her finger tips and crashed into a hoard of demons, sending them hurtling in all directions.

The oldest Blessed One swirled her hands together, opening them slowly to reveal a pulsating ball of exploding light. She reared her arm back, casting the magical weapon at a wiring looking demon with crooked teeth. She dove at her younger cousin, pulling her to the ground as yellow demonic slime flew at them. "Phi! Phi!"

Phiona rolled over, staring up at the hoard of demons coming her way. She ducked low to the floor, spreading out her fingers and running them over the ground. Orbs flew from her finger tips, running across the ground in waves and knocking all of the demonic beasts to the ground, along with everything else on the floor. After which, she scrambled to her feet. "Run!"

----

"Piper!" Phoebe screeched, as her body blasted from the floor. She back flipped, landing two powerful kicks into a pair of demons, crashing them into the wall. Her body descended to the floor and she grabbed a butcher knife from the sink, hurling it into the nearest demon and watched him explode.

Piper raised her hands and two demons across the kitchen exploded simultaneously. "Fuck this!" The timing witch hissed, flexing her fingers and bringing everything in the room to a dead stop.

"Oh! Piper, not him!" Phoebe yelled.

The timer turned just in time to see a neon electric bolt flying her way. Her hands flew to her face, adrenaline pumping through her body, and the bolt froze inches from her face.

At that moment, Paige descended into the kitchen with Andy and Pandora. "Piper, Phoebe, the attic's-"

"Filled with demons?" Phoebe asked. She motioned to the unfrozen demon and the zigzag bolt in front of Piper. "Paige, please..."

"Bolt!" Paige yelled, waving her arm. The bolt dissolved into orbs, which reversed and headed straight towards the unfrozen demon. As the orbs vanished, they revealed the sparking bolt, which pummeled its way into the chest of the beefy demon and instantly vanquished him.

At that moment, Piper's freezing wore off and the demons sprang to life again.

"Shit!" Paige cursed, forcing a group of demons to orb across the room.

"Hurry!" Phoebe yelled. "The Power of Three!"

Paige, Phoebe, and Piper scrambled together and took hands. "The power of three will set us free! The power of three will set us free! The power of three will set us free!"

The house began to rumble, shaking with the sheer power of the activation of the original Power of Three spell. Plumes of smoke began to rise as demons began to shake and convulse. Others cowered and evaded vanquish by using their own birth given abilities to shimmer and what not.

"The power of three will set us free! The power of three will set us free!" A ring of mystical flames began to cackle around the Charmed Ones. "The power of three will set us free!" Magical, whipping wind started to spiral around the three sister witches, just as it had done the same night Phoebe, Prue, and Piper had regained their powers.

As some brave demons rushed at the sisters three, the ring of fire licked at their bodies, turning them into piles of ash which were then swept away by the mystical wind.

"The power of three will set us free! The power of three will set us free! The power of three will set us free!" They cried, their voices melding together as one. Paige stood in the center, her hands grasped to Phoebe, who stood behind her on the right and Piper, who stood behind her on the left. Their faces were set into hard, powerful expressions and their dark hair flailed against the wrath of the magical wind.

Cries and screams of agony reverberated through the Manor, as the last of the demons were devoured by flames and washed away by the sisters' spell.

The wind began to lessen, coming to a soft breeze and then finally dispersing completely. The raging flames began to shrink back into the floor, disappearing as the sisters' words became less and less, and finally vanishing and leaving no trace of having ever been there at all.

In the silence of the room, Paige moved her jaw, and set her eyes straight ahead. "The Power of Three."

**_TO BE CONTINUED..._**


	6. Charmed's Angels

A/N: Ever heard of _Charlie's Angels_? Yeah, well, this chapter is about Charmed's Angels. ;) Happy New Year, guys! Sorry I haven't been able to post until now. Part of it was writer's block and part of it was FFN being evil.

_**Change Happens**_

_**Chapter 6: Charmed's Angels**_

"Oh my gosh!" Phoebe gasped, breaking the link with her sisters. "Did you guys feel what a rush of power that was?" She began to fan herself with her hand. "I mean, my Goddess, it felt like the night we defeated Jeremy!"

"Now is so not the time!" Piper blistered, as she grabbed her little sister's ear and began to tug her towards the Book. "We've got more pressing matters."

Paige ran both hands through her wild, dark locks. In all her years as a Halliwell, she'd never actually helped in The Power of Three spell. It was a such a rush. She turned on her heel, looking back as her older sisters began to look through the leather tome. "What are you looking for? You already know there isn't anything in there."

"Actually," Piper pursed her lips as stopped at a rather dull looking page with simple black, calligraphy. "I think I have an idea."

Paige made a brisk walk over to her sister and pressed her index finger to the page, drawing it down the page's center. "An invisibility potion? Why would be need that?"

"Because," Piper click her tongue against the rough of her mouth, "Phoebe's going to need it."

"What?" The psychic sister barked. "Moi?"

"Yes," Piper said as she poked Phoebe squarely in the chest. "You." The timing witch crossed over to the herb cabinet and drew out several small jars. "Paige, go boil some water."

Paige frowned as she walked over to the kitchen sink. "I think we've had just about enough water works for one day."

"This is the only way we can save Prue," the second eldest replied sternly.

"What're you planning?" Andy asked, from his position next to the kitchen's entry way.

Piper set her jars on the counter and glanced down at her telepathic niece. _Pandy, baby, Aunt Piper needs your help._

"Wif what?" Pandora asked curiously.

_Auntie Piper needs you to use only mind talk with everyone. We don't want the bad demons to hear our plan._

Pandora gave a mischievous grin. _I like mind talk._

_I know you do, baby. Now can you tell everyone else that we're planning on tricking The Source into taking us to your mommy?_

Pandora began to absentmindedly pick at her small cuticles. _Auntie Piper says dat we's gonna trick da big bag Source._

_How so?_ The witch-whitelighter Charmed One thought, eyeing her niece and elder sister with a quirky glance.

_Auntie Paige wants to know how._

Piper carefully measured out a small amount of mimosa. _Auntie Paige is gonna use her shapeshifting power to turn into the bad water demon and Auntie Phoebe is gonna use her empathy to absorb Huldra's powers. Please tell them that._

Pandora twaddled over to a chair at the kitchen table and climbed into the seat. _Auntie Paige, you's gonna become Hulga. Auntie Phoebe, you is gonna taked her powers._

"And what does the in-"

Piper quickly slapped her hand across Phoebe's lips, shooshing her baby sister. "Only through Pandora," she hissed.

_And what does the invisibility potion have to do with anything?_ Phoebe wondered.

_I'm tired._ Pandora placed her hand to her mouth, stifling a yawn. _Can I just open up mind talk betweenyou guyses?_

_What do you mean by, "open up mind talk"? _Paige mentally asked.

_You knows! _The telepath rolled her clear eyes. _Where you guyses can all talk and I don't have to talk for yous._

"She can do that?" Phoebe blurted out, knowing that the message had been sent to her and her sisters.

_Duh!_

_Pandora!_ Piper mentally chastised.

_Sorries, Auntie Piper._

_It's okay_, the timer mentally soothed. _Just open up the telepathic channel you were talking about. Open it up to everyone._

_Who's eveyone?_

_You daddy, Max, your cousins, and your uncles._

_Okies._ Pandora grinned and squinted her eyes.

The witchlighter placed her hands to her head, as powerful mental energy began to pummel through her brain. _Whoa!_

_Man, that kid has got some serious mental power!_ Phoebe mentally exclaimed, shaking her head. _And I'm used to serious psychic energy._

_You're tellin' me._ Paige replied, staring at her niece in near disbelief.

_Andy, can you take her up to her bed?_ Piper asked, as she watched her mortal brother-in-law rub his head in shock.

"Ye-" Andy chewed his lower lip as he pulled the telepath into his arms. _Yeah._

_This is so crazy!_ The psionic grinned, displaying a row of pearly whites. _Was this how it felt when you and Prue cast that hearing thoughts spell?_

_You and Prue cast a hearing thoughts spell?_ Paige placed her hands on her hips. _When was this?_

_Quite a few years ago._

_They wanted to know if Jack and Dan were warlocks. But they didn't know that they could just poke 'em._

Piper tossed an angry glare towards Phoebe. _Blabber mouth. And this is off topic, by the way. We need to keep our focus here._

_What exactly are we doing?_

_Phoebe's going to down this invisibility potion and she'll use her empathy to absorb Huldra's powers again. In turn, you will-_

_Use my shapeshifting to turn into Huldra. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Pandora already told me that. But what does this have to do with anything? How will it trick The Source._

_Because Phoebe will use Huldra's power to transport you and her down to the Underworld. But she'll be invisible when she does this, so it will appear as if you are Huldra. Leo will shapeshift into you and orb him and I to the Underworld. We're going to stage a battle which will hopefully attract The Source and he'll take you and Phoebe back to Prue._ As Piper drew her mental explanation to an end, she proudly held up her invisibility potion and passed it to Phoebe. _Drink._

Phoebe hesitantly lifted the cup to her nose. _It smells-_

_Like something you're going to down._ Piper's brows rose expectantly.

_Oooh, Prue so owes me for this!_ Phoebe pinched the bridge of her nose and downed the fowl smelling potion. A few sputters and gagging noises later, she placed the empty cup on the table and faded from physical view. _How do I look?_

Paige placed her hand to her mouth, smirking. _The best I've ever seen you!_ Before she could laugh anymore, she left someone smack the back of her head. _Ow!_

----20 Minutes Later----

"I'll wait for you up here," the invisible Charmed Oneexplained, as she impatiently tapped the frame of the door leading into the basement. Even now thatPhoebe knew she could vanquish The Woogy, she still didn't feel comfortable going into the basement when it wasn't absolutely necessary.

Paige rolled her eyes, glancing up at Piper. "Oh, Prue better be kissing my ass for this." She glowered at the sickly looking Huldra. She closed her eyes as her body slowly stretched and formed, taking on a completely new appearance. The form of Huldra. "Okay," she murmured. Her voice was now deep and seemed to growl with every word she spoke. "Let's get this over with." As she talked back up the stairs leading to the kitchen, the weight of the board creaked and groaned with the whitelighter-witch's newfound weight.

"Leo!" The timing witch yelled, as she tromped up the stairs behind her little sister. "Are you ready?" As she reached the entrance to the kitchen, she suppressed a giggle as her husband timidly walked into the room.

Now gone was the whitelighter's short, sandy tuff and was replaced with the richest of brown hair, which almost appeared black. It hung down loosely over bare, creamy shoulders. A pair of tight white hip huggers adorned the angelic being's lower body, while a vibrant purple off the shoulder top groped the whitelighter's new upper body which made the whitelighter's new waist look all the more petite and gave the illusion of a much larger bust. A silver pentacle hung down around the guide's neck and sharp silver stiletto sandals, which complimented ten royal purple toe nails, finished off the ensemble.

_Explain to me again, why Paige can go as herself and I become Huldra?_

_Because if the plan goes through as I hope, Phoebe is going to need Paige's firepower. Two Charmed Ones are always better than one._ Piper replied, followed by a small bout of laughter.

_This is not funny!_ The whitelighter thought sharply.

_Actually, Leo, it is just a little bit._ Phoebe pinched her fingers together to prove her point, before realizing that it was actually useless to do so, as nobody could see her anyway.

_Okay! Okay! Let's just go._ Came the angry thoughts of the witchlighter. _Phoebe, come take us down there._

_And Max is going to be our backup, from the Manor?_ The angelic guide inquired, glancing towards Piper.

"Right." Piper bit back the urge to giggle again, as she wrapped her arms around Leo/Paige. _We'll see you in a few._

The invisible Charmed One wrapped her slender fingers around Paige/Huldra's wrist and activated Huldra's power. Instantly wind began to whirl around the room, knocking over a ceramic bowl of baking flour and clanging wet pans from the sink together. Then a large funnel began to engulf her and the whitelighter-witch, before sweeping them off to the Underworld.

Piper glanced down at her watch, waiting patiently before finally tuggingat Leo/Paige's shoulder. "Let's go."

Leo/Paige frowned as orbs engulfed them both, heading for the floor and disappearing towards the demonic Underworld.

_**TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	7. Warlock And Key

A/N: I'm so sorry! These past few weeks have been crazy, with finals coming up and everything! You know, I have at least three major projects due next week and two-thirds of them involve money and cameras? Agh! My teachers have been pilling on the work and my Mom has only allowed me two hours every two hours for the Internet/computer (I don't have my own), because I have to "share." So I only have a limited amount of time for homework (which isn't enough anyway). This chapter really sucks and again, my deepest apologies. And before I forget, in a reply to a question I got from Ed about continuing _Charmed, Season 2_, FFN won't allow me to continue posting it. I don't know why. HOWEVER, I will continue posting it on my _Charmed_ board, which you can find the link to in my user profile. I'm working on getting all of the alternate first season (_Charmed, Season 1_) up first, in case FFN find and takes that one down too. Then I'll be posting what I had originally posted for _Charmed, Season 2_, followed by the new chapters. Unfortunately I haven't gotten that all done, because of the extensive school work that I've had lately. So if you're still interested in reading _Charmed, Season 2_, please bare with me.

**_Change Happens_**

**_Chapter 7: Warlock And Key_**

"You are not getting away that easy, bitch!" Piper fumed, throwing at her hands and narrowly missing an explosive blast that would've sent her sister flying into the rock cavern.

_A bit harsh with the language, don't you think?_ The witchlighter mentally grumbled, holding out her palm. She could feel Phoebe's invisible arm right next to her's, as a bubbling hydrokinetic ball began to form above her palm.

_It's all show_, Piper mentally replied. Her face however, never registered sympathy. She was good at playing the pissed card.

_Somehow I think this role is too good for you._ The whitewitch replied through thought. At that point, she felt her psychic sister lightly tug at her arm, rearing it back as Phoebe brought the hydrokinetic sphere back.

"Water ball!" Leo/Paige bellowed, holding out a hand expectantly.

On cue, the whitelighter-witch used her advanced teleorbing ability to orb the hydrokinetic bubble into her brother-in-law's awaiting hand, without the power of her voice.

As the sphere materialized in Leo/Paige's hand, the whitelighter hurled it back at the duo, knowing it would never make it there.

"Stupid witch," Paige/Huldra growled, throwing out her arm as her invisible sister conjured gale force winds, redirecting the water ball and sending Leo/Paige flinging into the rocky cavern.

_Get ready to blast!_ Phoebe thought, as she wrapped her invisible arms around Paige/Huldra's waist and they dissolved into pelting raindrops.

_Phoebe, I don't think this is-_

_Sorry Pipe, but a witch's gotta do what a witch's gotta do!_ Phoebe thought, as icy rain began to fall from seemingly nowhere, which slowly formed into a high powered blast. The water rocket launched at Piper, blasting her with full force into the rustic walls before reforming into the invisible sister and Paige.

_Phoebe!_ Piper raged, clenching her jaw as she exploded the ground under Paige/Huldra and Phoebe, blasting them in different directions.

_Nice one, Piper!_ Phoebe glared, although nobody could see it. _You've blown Paige and I apart!_

_I've got it covered!_ The witchlighter thought, as she dissolved into orbs.

_What the hell are you doing? You're going to blow our cover!_ Piper panicked, as she ran towards the orbs.

_Look at Leo_, the witchlighter answered, before the orbs vanished.

Piper swiveled around to see Leo/Paige squinting in Paige/Huldra's direction.

"Agh!" Paige/Huldra cried dramatically, as her body rematerialized smacking into the opposite end of the cave. "How did you do that, witch? Your powers aren't strong enough!" She crawled to her feet. _A potion, Leo, a potion!_

"W-well," Leo/Paige stuttered, "that's what a power multiplying potion will do for you!"

_We could've done without the stutter, but other than that, it was pretty good._ Paige/Huldra motioned to the puddle of water from the earlier water sphere attack.

Taking the cue, Phoebe narrowed her invisible eyes and the water began to bubble and hiss as it arose from the ground and gradually began to take shape into a ball again. Then she thrust out her hand and sent the globe barreling at Leo/Paige. _Orb, Leo!_

Acting as Paige had doneall too many times before,the whitelighter's hands flew upand the angelic guardiandissolved into glowing bulbs of light, just missing the water sphere.

_Okay Piper, we've been at this for a while now. Where's The-_

As if on cue, pulsating heat waves filtered the rocky battle arena and the formation of inferno-like flames followed them, making way for the black cloaked demons that the entire Underworld cowered to.

"Huldra!" The Source bellowed. He flung out his yellowing hand and Piper was telekinetically hurled across the Underworld cavern, smacking into it with a bone chilling crack.

Leo/Paige orbed in next to Piper and slid to the floor. "Piper!" The whitelighter knew it wasn't safe to heal Piper, as it would blow their cover. So gently the angelic guardian took Piper's hand and turned a fiercely towards The Source of All Evil.

Silently, the witch-whitelighter summoned an orbing avalanche of rocks to befall The Source.

Hearing the rolling sound of crunching rocks, The Source whipped out his arm and telekinetically summoned Paige/Huldra into his grasp.

_Oh, shit!_ Phoebe mentally cursed, as she dove into the flames which were enveloping her sister and their arch enemy.

Leo/Paige pulled Piper close and orbed them out, silently praying that when they arrived at the Manor, Piper would be okay.

----

Phoebe placed a pair of clear hands to her head, rubbing her sore temples as the intense heat around her died. _Where are we?_

_I don't know._ The whitelighter-witch thought back, as she watched The Source pace towards an extravagant throne decorated in human bones and painted in a thin layer of gold. She felt herself cringe internally, as beady rubies winked in the light of the wall torches,from the sockets of the golden skulls.

The Source sank into the blood red cushion of his throne, examining Paige/Huldra carefully. He seemed to be waiting for something.

Paige/Huldra looked confused. She began to slowly open her jaw, before suddenly realizing that the demonic King was awaiting her to bow before him. _Ah, crap!_ She allowed her head to fall to her chest and curled her body over.

"How," the demonic King sneered, "did you allow yourself to be summoned by a Charmed child?"

"Sire," Paige/Huldra rasped through gritted teeth, "it was the combined magic of a Blessed child and her witch friend. I couldn't fight their magic."

"You've resisted summoning spells before.."

"This was different," Paige/Huldra scrambled. "They used the elements. And a Blessed One's magic is far greater than a Charmed One's."

"The elements," The Source mulled. He began to strum his decaying yellow fingers across the left golden arm bone of his throne. "If they continue using such tactics, they may find a way to get to the captive Charmed sister and steal the Akashic heir."

"The Akashic heir?"

The Source's cloaked head bounced up in alarm, as his assassin appeared not to know whom he was talking about.

Realizing this, Paige/Huldra let out a sonorous laugh. "The Akashic heir won't be taken," she attempted to cover up. Silently, she hoped The Source would think that her sincere confusion had been sarcasm the entire time.

Invisible in the corner of the cavern, Phoebe silently chewed her lower lip. _"The Akashic heir"? That seems so familiar. But where have I heard it before?_ She rubbed her temples again, attempting to access her filing cabinet of memories.

_**----Flashback----**_

_Piper looked curiously towards their newest innocent, Eric. "What are the Akashic Records?" _

_"I knew it."_

_"Wait, what did you just say?" The clairvoyant inquired._

_"The Akashic Records, what are they?"_

_"You tell me."_

_Phoebe looked to her older sister, casting a suspicious glance. "I'll tell you. They're a book of ancient prophecies. The future of the world down to the smallest detail hidden away and lost for centuries. But it's just a legend. How did you…"_

_"You're well informed," the innocent replied suspiciously._

_"I read a lot. Piper, how did you know that?_

_"I'll tell you later. So, they want those records and they want Eric because he knows how to find them, right?"_

_Eric stood awkwardly. "Who are you people?"_

_"What if it's not a legend? Say they're real. What happens if the bad guys get these records?"_

_"And they use the future against us? No more us. The bad guys win."_

_Eric's expression faded to concern, as he turned towards the exit of the kitchen. "I gotta get my father outta there."_

_"No, wait, Eric!"_

_"He's stuck in the hospital and Dr. Stone's in on it!"_

_"Eric, it is not about your father anymore. It's about you. Especially if they think you know how to find the Akashic Records."_

_"Try and stop me."_

_Phoebe easily grabbed his arm and flipped him, landing him on the floorbefore ploppingdown on top of him. A tight smug formed on her face, as she glared into his eyes._

_"How?"_

_Before Phoebe can say anything, Prue strolled into the kitchen. "Entertaining guests I see."_

_Phoebe glancedtowards Prue. "Hi!" She stuggles as Eric tries to throw hr off. She bobs her head and looks to her second oldest sister."Piper, could you help me out a little?"_

_Piper flicks her wrist and freezes the innocent._

_Prue craned her head to view Eric. "Who's the cute boy?"_

_"He's Eric, from the hospital. Two warlocks called Collectors wants what's in his brain. The location of the Akashic Records." The psychic stood up and examined Piper, as she turned her head towards Prue, but said nothing. "It's a..."_

_"It's a lost text that predicts all future events. The Collectors get it, the worlds a goner. I know."_

_"Okay, does someone wanna tell me what's going on here?"_

_Prue and Piper share another look, but say nothing._

_"Okay, um, Phoebe. See Piper and I didn't really know about the whole pricking thing to expose a warlock. So, we sort of cast a little hearing thoughts spell, just to find things out."_

_"Oh, a hearing thoughts spell?" Phoebe stared at her sisters, amused by their choice of action. After all, she'd been chewed out so many times before for casting spells without her sisters._

_**----Flashback----**_

The Source clicked his bony fingers together and two female warlocks appeared before him; one with charcoal hair and one with fiery red hair. He slid off his throne and approached them. "Mora, you specializeas a warlock's midwife, yes?"

The charcoal haired warlock bowed and nodded her head in respect. "Yes, Sire."

"Then you'll come with us," the demon King stated with finality, as he indicated himself and Paige/Huldra.

"What of me, Sire?" The fiery red haired warlock asked, as she bowed her head in respect.

"You're to attack the Charmed sisters' home and keep them busy, while we prepare for the early arrival of the Akashic heir."

The clairvoyant'sinvisible eyes broadened in a mixture of excitement and confusion. _The Akashic Records! But how? I thought that the Akashic Records were hidden to good and evil alike?_

**_TO BE CONTINUED..._**


	8. The Demon Is In

A/N: This chapter is a play on, "The Doctor Is In," and you shall find out why soon enough. Sorry for the lateness, but I just got over with finals on Friday. Please enjoy! 

_**Change Happens**_

_**Chapter 8: The Demon Is In**_

With a small gasp, Piper sputtered to life. "Oh my god!" 

"Shh, shh. It's okay," the whitelighter soothed, now transformed back into a male form. Leo took Piper and pulled her to his chest, rubbing her back as she regained her composure. 

"Leo?" 

"Yeah?" 

The timer fought back tears as images of Prue flashed through her mind. "Do you..." She clung to the soft of Leo's shirt. "Do you think it worked?" 

The whitelighter's eyes shifted the ceiling as if silently pleading to all that was divine. "I hope so." 

---- 

"A-a midwife?" Paige/Huldra stammered. "But won't an early c-section hurt the Prophet Guardian?" 

The Source shifted violently towards Paige/Huldra, holding his yellowed bone-like hand close to her face as a ball of dancing flames appeared in his hand. "Do you dare question your Master?" 

As much as it pained her, the whitelighter-witch bowed her head in a submissive manner. "No, Sire. I only want what's best for the Forces of Darkness." She shifted ever so slightly away from the burning sphere. "And if we take the child before it's time, we may risk hurting or killing our only chance at getting our hands on those documents." 

There was a tense moment of silence, before the glowing orange sphere dissolved into a puff of black smoke and the Demonic King withdrew his hand. "You have a point," he growled from beneath his ebony cloak. He turned to face his warlock minion. "Mora," she hissed. "Have you ever Surrogation Spell?" 

Mora shifted her black irises to the rustic tavern floor. "No, Sire." She bowed her head in profuse apology. "But," she croaked, "I know of one. My Mother keeps it within her personal Grimoire. After all, your Highness, she was a warlock midwife before I." 

"Bring me this...personal Grimoire." The Source rubbed his flaky yellow fingers together. "And hurry!" His very voice seemed to send the room into a telekinetic tremble. 

"Yes Sire!" Mora gasped, as she bowed her head low to her chest and blinked away without a moment's notice. 

"What is it you plan to do?" Paige/Huldra inquired carefully. 

From her invisible position in the corner of the gave, Phoebe did not like what she was hearing one bit. Not only was Prue already in trouble because of Andy and Pandora's backfired spell, but not The Source wanted to perform a 'Surrogation Spell.' The clairvoyant shook her invisible head violently. _That could only mean one thing_, she thought to herself. Horror was etched into her clear face. _Paige_, she grimaced, _he wants to move Prue's baby to one of his minions! We have to find and who, and fast! Or Prue and everyone else is doomed!_

_Don't you think I know that?_ The witchlighter was keeping her head low to her chest, not wanting to anger The Source anymore, so to not blow their cover. _So do you have any bright ideas, Sherlock?_

---- 

"Who the heck are you?" Phiona bellowed, as she walked into the sunroom to find a tall redhead lounging in a white wicker chair. 

The redhaired warlock cast a condescending glance at the young witch-whitelighter. "Didn't your mother ever teach you to respect your elders?" She rose from her chair and swiveled her hands together, forming a pulsating bulb of neon yellow energy. "Allow me to introduce myself," she hissed. "The name's Minerva!" With that, she flung back her arm and sent the pulsating energy at the Blessed One. 

The second oldest Blessed One dropped to her knees, allowing the energy to glide just above her head, singing a few stray hairs. "I think Athena would be ashamed that your ripping off her Roman name," she taunted, before flinging out her hand and sending a trail of orbs at Minerva's feet, forcing the warlock to the ground. Rolling to the side, the whitelighter-witch flung out her hand and a cloud of orbs smacked full force into Minerva, sending her crashing through one of the stained glass windows. 

"Oh, you're going to pay for that, little witch!" Minerva hissed, after blinking behind Phiona. She grabbed the child by the ponytail and swung her around with inhuman strength, bashing her against the wall and sending her sliding into the living room. The warlock stalked over to Blessed One and leered over her, as she swirled her palms together and hovered an energy ball over the girl's head. She licked her lips as she released the energy ball from her hand. 

"Aha!" Phiona threw her hands into the air, in a Piper-like fashion, and orbs surrounded the energy ball and sent it flying straight back at Minerva, sending her crashing backwards. 

"What the hell is going on in here?" 

Phiona looked up to see her mother in the doorway. "Mom!" She gasped, pointing to the intruder. "Warlock!" 

"What?" Piper looked around,only to spot the redhead stirring near the fireplace. "Oh no you don't!" Piper flicked her wrists and the room froze. She hurried over to her eldest daughter and bent down, pulling the Blessed One into her arms. "Hey, baby, are you okay?" 

Phiona rubbed her head slightly, feeling a large swelling piece of flesh under hair from where Minerva had grabbed her ponytail. "Yeah," she mumbled, "I think I'm fine." 

"What happened?" Piper asked, as she gently rubbed her daughter's back. 

"I don't know. I just walked into the sunroom and it was like she was waiting for me or something." 

"Waiting for you?" Piper tucked a strand of brown hair behind her ear, as she took a sideways look at Minerva. 

"I think you should just explode her." 

"No." 

"No?" 

"No." Piper helped her daughter to the sofa. "I don't think this was just some random attack." 

"What's new?" Phiona continued to rub her head, as she leaned into the overstuffed cushions. 

"This may have something to do with where your aunts are." The Charmed One looked towards the ceiling. "Leo!" 

"What's dad got to do with this?" 

"I need him to ask The Elders about our warlock." 

"She said her name's Minerva." 

A small cloud of blue hazy orbs formed in the corner of the room, descending from the ceiling and swirling around into the form of the average sized, blonde whitelighter. "Piper, what's wrong?" 

"I want you to go Up There are ask them for all of what they know about our little friend," the Charmed One replied. "And," she placed a soft hand on the back of her daughter's head, "heal Phi." 

"What happened?" The whitelighter walked briskly towards his daughter and placed a healing hand over the swollen bump on her head. A golden glow emitted and moments later, there was no evidence of a bump. "Are you okay?" 

"I'm fine. Thanks, dad." Phiona flashed him a pearly smile. 

"Good." The blonde placed a small kiss on his eldest's forehead, before orbing out. 

"Max!" 

Max appeared at the top of the stairway with the Book of Shadows in one hand and a potion in the other. "Piper?" 

"Can you bring down the trapping crystals, please? And the Book." 

"On their way," the male witch replied as he began to descend the stairs. A few moments later a trail of bobbing white crystals floated through the air behind him. 

"Prue would be really proud, you know." The elder witch smiled, as she slipped the Book from Max. 

"Thanks." Max flopped down next to Phiona, as the crystals psychokinetically surrounded Minerva. The young witch stared at the warlock for a moment, before scratching his head in thought. "Is that...Minerva?" 

"What?" The brunette Charmed One did a double take. "You know her?" 

"Know of her," the African-American corrected. "My mother had a entry about her, in her Book of Shadows. She and her sister, Mora, are warlock heiresses to a powerful line of warlock midwives." 

Something seemed to click in Piper's brain, as the pages of the Book began to flip themselves. "Midwives?" She drew in sharply. "This is so not good!" She turned on her heel and waved her hand, unfreezing only the head of the warlock. "Where's my sister?" 

Minerva stared down at her frozen body and shook her head. "I won't tell you anything!" 

"Oh yes you will!" Piper raised a threatening hand. "Shall we start with your limbs?" 

"I'd rather die!" 

Piper thrust out her palms and refroze the warlock. She would have to vanquish, her she knew. But she didn't want to just yet, as she wasn't sure if she would prove useful later. 

---- 

Although his face was hidden, the whitelighter-witch was sure that The Source of All Evil was smiling from beneath his black hood. She internally grimaced, as she watched him drag his dry finger over the Surrogation Spell. 

"Come with me," The Source commanded. He turned sharply, book in hand, and started down a long corridor with nothing but small torches lighting his way. 

Obediently, Mora stared after him, with her face down low to her chest. For she had waited so long to prove herself to the Demonic King and elevate her status in the Underworld. 

Paige/Huldra hung behind a moment, waiting for Phoebe. 

_Right behind you._ Phoebe silently trotted up behind her sister and gave her a gentle squeeze on the arm. She knew Paige's heart was pounding as fast as hers, because in just a few moments, they would be standing right next to Prue. _Go on, before he gets suspicious._

Paige/Huldra hurried along, quietly catching up a few paces behind Mora. The long walk seemed to take forever, however in actuality, it was only about ten minutes before she came to an abrupt halt. 

The Source clicked his fingers and the walls groaned in agony, before the corridor began to shake violently as the rock broke away and revealed a nearly dark room. The Source slunk in and disappeared into the darkness. 

Mora stood for a moment, awe etched into her face, and then she carefully entered into the inky black. 

_Come on._ Paige/Huldra thought, as she waited for Phoebe's touch on her arm. When she felt it, she allowed herself to step into the corridor. 

The psychic held in a small breath, as the rock doors slammed behind her. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust, but when they did, they landed on the shaft of light that contained her eldest sister. _Prue! Oh my god!_

Prue's raven hair flailed against the water. She looked so beautiful, so peaceful. Like a mermaid. Her skin and ebony hair seemed to glisten against the water's ripples. 

"What do we need?" The Source questioned, as he shoved the small black book into Mora's hands. 

"Just the blood of the mother and the blood of the surrogate mother." 

The Demon King reached into his black robes and claimed a glinting, jeweled athame. He walked over to Paige/Huldra and grabbed her wrist. "You'll carry the Prophet Guardian," he commanded, before pressing the blade firmly to the palm of Paige/Huldra's hand. 

**_TO BE CONTINUED..._**


	9. Bewitched And Pregnant

A/N:This chapter is a play on the old (and rather sexist term), "barefoot and pregnant." Now i must apologize for my absence (and probably my continued absence). Unfortunately my Mother's been afraid of the Black Worm thing that hit the U.S. on the third, and because of our lack of good virus protection, hasn't allowed me online. We got 2006 Norton last night, but I'm having a hellish time with the program, because of already existing problems with my computer. So I'm sorry, but until that's fixed, I'm not sure when (if at all) I'll be on over the next few weeks. (This goes for my lack of reviews, as well. Those might actually be more often, because sometimes I might be able to get on from the school library. However, I can't update from there.)

**_Change Happens_**

**_Chapter 9: Bewitched And Pregnant_**

Paige/Huldra cringed, as dark crimson blood pooled from her palm.

Mora scurried over to the witchlighter's side and conjured a small, silver chalice with an inverted pentagram on the front. She watched with sick delight as the dark blood streamed into the cup. "Now we'll need some from the Charmed witch."

The Source retracted the blood soaked athame and turned towards Prue's column.

"No!"

"What?" His voice was ominous, almost surprised however, at being stopped by an inferior being. "Do you remember who you're talking to, demoness?" His yellow hand twitched with anger and small flames threatened to turn into a powerful fireball.

"I think..." Paige/Huldra paused for the right words.

_**----Flashback----**_

_"Pandora telepathically connected with her sister. Together they chanted the spell to hex Huldra and The Source."_

_"And you didn't happen to run this by us before you did it?" Piper raged._

_"Piper!" Paige glared. "Be quiet and let him speak!" Her brunette eyes landed back on her mortal brother-in-law. "What kind of hex, Andy? Do you remember the words? What was it supposed to do?"_

_Andy carefully extracted a small, neatly folded piece of paper from his breast pocket and extended it to the witchlighter Charmed One._

_The whitelighter-witch's eyes seemed to bulged from their sockets as the paper fell from her finger tips._

_"Paige? Paige! What's going on?" Phoebe asked, scrambling to the floor to grab the hex._

_"Prue's going to die if we don't get to her and reverse this!"_

_"What?" Andy gaped. "No! I worded that so that if one of them tried to touch Prue, they would be vanquished! Not Prue!"_

_Paige held out her hand, orbing the hex from Phoebe and shoving it into Andy's face. "Look! You've poisoned her skin!"_

_"It was supposed to be a poisoned touch."_

_**----Flashback----**_

"Your warlock should do it. If she's the one fit to perform the spell, then she should do it, right? We wouldn't want any backfires and you know how tricky magic can be." The whitewitch knew that if The Source were to get to Prue, Prue and the baby would die. But she silently hoped that since Andy's spell had just been for Huldra and The Source, that Mora wouldn't count.

The Source seemed to ponder this for a moment, as he pulled back his arm and turned to face the water column. "Fine." He turned quickly, placing the athame to Paige/Huldra's beck. "But if you ever talk to me like that again, you won't live to see the light of day!" The Demon King allowed a tight silence to pass between the cavern, before he handed the bloodied athame to the midwife warlock. "Hurry it up."

Mora nodded solemnly and strolled to the water column. She reached her hand into the warmed water and fished around, before roughly grabbing Prue's hand and pulling it from the water. At first it just hung there, seemingly lifeless as Mora plunged the cruel blade across her delicate skin. The warlock held the chalice under Prudence's hand, allowing blood to pummel in and mix with Paige's. She, nor The Source, seemed to notice her index finger slightly twitch.

_Paige?_

_I saw it too._ Paige/Huldra felt her stomach lurch as she searched her eldest sister's face for any sign of life. None.

Mora shoved Prue's hand back within the column and watched as the clear water seemed to ripple with Prue's blood.

Phoebe covered her mouth to force the bile back down her throat.

The charcoal haired warlock dipped her finger into the warm blood and gave it a small mix, before she stalked over to Paige/Huldra and drew an inverted pentagram on the center of her stomach, in the dark blood. "Blood to blood, I summon thee! Blood to blood, come to she! Blood to blood..."

----

A plume of burgundy smoke exploded in Piper's face, sending her sliding across the tile floor and landing on her ass. She shook her head in anger and pulled to her feet. "Damnit!"

Max passed the elder witch a sympathetic look, before splitting the pan's contents into three glass vials. "The vanquishing potions will need to be chilled for four hours," he explained, placing them into the fridge.

"What?" Piper angrily grabbed at the Book. "No! That'll take too long! We don't have that much time, Max! Prue doesn't have that much time!"

"Actually, maybe she does."

"Andy?" Piper and Max echoed, as they turned to see the Inspector at the doorway.

"Pandora," he shifted his daughter to his left hip, "just had a premonition."

"What?"

"That's not her power, Andy."

"Maybe it's advancing?" The young male witch interjected.

Pandora shook her head violently, allowing the dark curls to ruffle around her pale face. "No, no, no! Baby sent me 'nition!"

"Baby?"

"Sissy," the telepath explained. She began to ring her fingers together in anticipation. "Mommy is gonna be home soon." Then her bottom lip began to tremble. "And bad man is gonna chase her."

Max and Piper shared a look of concern, and both walked closer to Andy and Pandora.

The psychokinetic cocked his head. "What're you talking about, Pandora? What 'bad man'?"

"Da man in da ugly black dress."

"Ugly black dress?" Max looked to the Charmed One for help.

Piper turned her head away, as her stomach began to churn. "She's talking about The Source..."

----

Mora thrust the silver chalice towards the towering watery column, and the bloody contents made its way intothe water with amazing speed. "Get away!" She ordered, dropping the chalice and getting out from between Paige/Huldra and Prue.

A scarlet beam escaped from the center of Prue's bulging stomach, shooting right into the center of the reverse pentacle on Paige/Huldra's belly. Then a blinding copper light filled the cavern, blinding the room's occupants. The startling light display lasted several minutes and when it was over, the scarlet beam was gone and Prue's belly no longer swelled with pregnancy. Paige/Huldra's, however, appeared as if she'd swallowed a large beach ball.

Paige/Huldra expressed pained cries, as she dropped to knees from the new weight in her womb. "Agh!" She could feel the effects of pregnancy already. Something which she hadn't remembered since her eight month with Pearl. Her ankles were already swelling, and the child was pulling her stomach out, causing a aching curve in her back and spine.

The witchlighter grabbed at her newly pregnant abdomen and held what she could, as her body slowly adjusted to its new predicament. She closed her eyes and began to breath in several long, slow breaths. Then her gaze averted to Mora, who seemed to be smiling pleasantly, and followed to The Source. Since his face was hidden, she couldn't gauge him. Then, as if the pain of harboring her half sister's child wasn't enough, her muscles grew tight as awesome psychic energy began to pummel her mind.

_**----Premonition----**_

_Paige's face was raw from salt laden tears. Dark clumps of hair were matted to the sides of her face and beads of dirty sweat clung to her upper forehead, as she released another agonizing birthing pain._

_"It's almost over Paigey," Phoebe soothed, as she rubbed her baby sister's shoulders._

_"Thank you," Andy whispered, as he laced his hand with the witch-whitelighter's._

_Paige sunk her teeth into her lower lip, drawing a stream of red liquid from her lip. Then she opened her mouth and wailed again, as she clung to Andy's hand._

_At the end of the bed, Piper held out her hands in an awaiting fashion. "One more push, Paige. One more!" Her body visibly winced as her half sister's scream pierced her ears. Then the Charmed One grabbed a pair of sterile scissors and made a quick gesture. As she stood up, the sound of a newborn baby rocketed the air. Her face was a sorrowful joy, as she tenderly placed the infant into Andy's arms. "You done well, Paigey," she whimpered; tears threatening to fall._

_Andy smiled down at his infant daughter and gently stroked her face, before turning to Paige with a sorrowful smile. "I'm sorry you had to go through this for thepast month, Paige."_

_Paige wiped the blood from her lip and shook her head. "It was for Prue, Andy. That's what family does for each other." She blinked back salty tears. "Can I see her?"_

_The Inspector nodded, as he passed the pink bundle to Paige. "That's why her name's gonna be Prudence Paige Trudeau, after her mother and the aunt her gave her life."_

_**----Premonition----**_

As the half whitelighter Charmed One opened her eyes, she saw The Source leering over her fallen form.

"What did you see?"

**_TO BE CONTINUED..._**


	10. Charmed One Minute Too Late

A/N: Oh Goddess, this one is so short and you're all gonna kill me...

_**Change Happens**_

_**Chapter 10: Charmed One Minute Too Late**_

_Paige! We have got to get out of here!_

_No! Not without Prue!_ Paige/Huldra placed her hands to her head. Her mind was swirling. She couldn't understand how Prue could die. Pandora and the baby currently in her womb, couldn't be raised without her. Not really, anyway. But she couldn't seem to make sense of the baby's premonition. What was she supposed to do? How could she save Prue?

"Answer me, insolent!"

"This!" Paige/Huldra roared, as she flung out her arm. A barrage of glowing blue lights engulfed the room and reformed in a long, orbing line directly towards The Source. The witchlighter struggled to stand to her full height, as she morphed back into her true form.

The Source slid across the floor with the weight of the boulders crashing into him, ending with the Demon King pinned against the rocky wall. He howled in anger and the room began to shake with telekinetic fury.

"Oh, oh!" Paige screamed, as rocks began to rumble from the ceiling. She quickly drove at the water dome, dissolving into orbs as she did so and taking Prue's dome with her. A fireball, hot from The Source's hand, cackled as it made it's way through her orbs.

_That's my cue!_ And with that, the second youngest Charmed One was swept away in a rushing current of wind and water, leaving only a puddle and swirls of powdery rock in her wake.

----

"Auntie Paige!" Pandora squealed, just before the column of orbs deposited her aunt in the sunroom. She wriggled from her fathers arms and rushed towards the swirling bulbs of light, attaching herself to aunt's not quite materialized leg.

Andy stood up from the wicker chair, as the orbs cleared. His face blanched at the sight of his wife. _She looks like she's sleeping._

"Hurry, Andy, get out of here!"

"You're not going anywhere!" A wave of orange-red sprouted from the floor, towering, then curving into the form of their black robed enemy. Clenched tightly withina flaky hand, was the same jeweled athame thatThe Source hadused for the Surrogation Ritual. Maliciously, the evil beingswung the athame towards the Inspector's back.

"Andy!"

The mortal felt the blade prick his skin, just as a cloud of hazy blue made him dissolve from the physical plain, barely missing his own impalement.

"You bastard!" The athame seemed to wiggle, and then fly from the cloaked figure's hands, before redirecting itself and embedding itself deep within the hidden cloak. Then the room began to rumble and its contents began to bounce around the floor.The cloakedbeingtook to the air, flinging backwards beforecrashing through one of the multi-colored glass windows.

Paige slowly turned around, to see her eldest sister with fury blazing in her cold blue eyes. "Prue."

"Mommy!" Pandora screeched, running into the arms of her dripping mother. "Mommy," she sobbed, "I missed you so much!" She wrapped her small arms tightly around Prue's wet neck and softly pawed at her dripping ebony hair.

"It's okay, sweetie. I'm not leaving again," the telekinetic promised. She turned slowly to Paige and knelt down, setting her eldest daughter on the ground. "Go with Aunt Paige. Mommy can take care of the bad guy."

"But Prue-"

"I'm fine," the eldest promised. "Besides, I've got Phoebe with me." She bobbed her head in the direction of a hydro ball which appeared to be bouncing itself across the room. "All I ask is that you look after my girls." She reached out slightly, holding her hand to Paige's swollen stomach.

Wordlessly, the youngest Charmed One looped her hand into her niece's and disappeared in a column of dancing lights, which traveled to the ceiling and disappeared.

Orbs culminated in the center of the room, swirling in a tornado-like fashion, until they materialized into Andy. He stood just where he'd been standing, before Paige had forced him into a holding orb. He looked around, confused at the fact that suddenly his wife was there, while his sister-in-law and child were not. "Prue?" He shook his head. "Oh my god, Prue!"

Prue, however, didn't respond. Her head had dropped soundlessly to her chest and it appeared as if she'd fallen asleep where she stood.

A human sized ruby flare appeared behind Andy, though. Astral Prue's arms were spread wide, blocking the path to her husband. "Leave us!" Her voice literally sent ripples of unaltered energy through the house, shaking its very foundations. The astral's dark blue eyes narrowed and the broken shards of colored glass began to levitate and whirl at a mind blowing speed, before impaling themselves into the black robed evil.

Phoebe swirled her clear palms together and a surge of high pressured water billowed from them. In an instant, it brought back the feeling of power that she'd experienced when she'd traveled to her past life, P. Russell, and released her power after Anton had tripled it. She mutely watched, as the cloaked figure seemed to wither under her and Prue's attacks.

"We've got tricks too."

Astral Prue gasped, her hands flying to her throat as she faded into red.

"Prue!" Phoebe spun, her clear eyes widening as The Source grabbed Prue's shoulder. She aimed to attack, but she was too late. Her eyes shifted back to the dark water soaked cloak, embedded with glass. She felt her heart tighten as she saw the clump of charcoal colored hair that was sticking out of it, and she knew that the warlock was dead. Mora had never stood a chance; no wonder their powers had been so effective.The bile in her throat rose, as she turned back to The Source and her sister.

The Source began to shake and small orange-red flames caught across the ebony of his cloak. Then his flaky yellow hand exploded, followed by a scream of anguish, before he too exploded into a swirling fury of particles and flexing flames. He was gone. The Source of All Evil was vanquished.

Unfortunately, however, the eldest of the Charmed sisters was also about to die. She'd fallen to her knees, her skin pale and clammy, with almost a lime green tinge. Her blue eyes were covered with a white glaze and beads of sweat were glistening from her forehead.

Andy could feel the salty tears brimming in his eyes. The world seemed to move in slow motion, as he wrapped his arms around his soul mate and gently brought her to the floor. His spell had worked its magic all too well. The Source had made physical contact with his wife, The Source had been vanquished, but not Prue would die because of the poison that raced through her skin. Gently, he traced his finger across her sweat soaked face and laced his other hand with her listless one. "Prue, I'm so sorry."

**_TO BE CONTINUED..._**


	11. Big Sister's Watching

A/N: Just so you all know, especially a specific Prue loving reviewer, things will have to get worse before they can even try to get better. I apologize in advance.

**_Change Happens_**

**_Chapter 11: Big Sister's Watching_**

Rolling gray storm clouds had settled heavily over the usually glowing blue skies of San Francisco. The skyline was nothing more than a streak of darkness, and what could be seen of the sky was bleak and sorrowful. The thick clouds were heavy with rain, which clearly threatened to fall at any moment and their distinctive fresh scent filtered the usually salty Bay air. It was as if the day was echoing the Halliwell family's world. The Warren line had lost one of its own, and the world had lost one of its greatest protectors.

Alone on last cement step leading up to the dusty rose colored Manor, Persia Halliwell sat with knees pulled to her chest in withering pain. Her long, golden-brown hair had been pulled into a tight and emotionless bun, which tugged harshly at her scalp. The physical pain seemed more welcoming than the pain in her heart, though. She rocked helplessly back and forth, burying her burning face between her knees as she did so.

"Persia?"

Persia's head snapped up, distantly hoping that the voice was that of her long lost aunt's. It wasn't meant to be, however. When she whipped her head around, she saw her Aunt Paige.

"Did I scare you?"

"Yeah," she lied, her teeth clattering as she spoke.

"What're you doing out here?" The witchlighter asked, as she steadied her heavily pregnant form against the doorway. Her normally vibrant brown eyes were tired and blood shot and her normally glossy dark hair was pulled into a haphazard ponytail, hidden beneath a black silken shawl. The ebony, ankle length maternity dress with the ruffled cuffs seemed to hide some of the weight of hew newfound pregnancy and her feet donned a pair of simple black satin slides.

The electric stood up and her layered black skirt fell in ruffles around her ankles. "I just...I..uhm, I just wanted some fresh air," she muddled. Using the sleeve of her black bell sleeved top, she wiped away the fresh salt droplets from her face and sniffed again. "Are we almost ready?"

Paige nodded sympathetically. "We're just waiting on Piper and Andy." She shifted uneasily. "Has your mother called?"

"They're gonna meet as there." The teenager wiped the corner of her eye.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Fine," the electric insisted, almost too defensively. "I'm going to go see if Uncle Leo needs help with the girls." She proceeded to slide past her aunt and head towards the stairs.

----

Cole stared somberly at his reflection, as he adjusted a black tie around his neck. Being an attorney, this usually came easy for him. Although this morning, well, this morning nothing seemed quite right. What he really wanted, what he needed, was to comfort his wife. He couldn't even get close to her, though. Neither could Pamela, for that matter. In fact, he'd spent the night in Pam's room, because she'd been too afraid to sleep alone with the way her mother was acting.

"Agh!" The half demon's fist exploded into the center of the floor length revolving mirror, spewing reflective shard across the room. He howled as he brought his arm back, revealing a small bloody gash across his palm.

"Daddy?" The small demon-witch appeared near the doorway. Dark circles cursed her eyes and her tiny pale lips trembled with a mixture of fear and tiredness. "Are you okay?" She stumbled forward, catching herself on a small dresser near the entrance. "I-I heard a noise." Her small eyes surveyed the gleaming shards, dotted with a fine spray of blood. "Daddy?"

"I'm f-fine," Cole replied, as he slunk onto the bed and pressed his bloody hand hard against one of the pillows. "Perfectly fine," he assured, motioning for the young child to come forth.

She did so, waddling over to her father and climbing into his lap, with a noticeable tremor in her large eyes. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she asked, "Is momma gonna be okay?"

The question seemed to hover in the air a moment, before Cole snaked his hand around his daughter's waist, securing his thumb around the strap of her black jumper, and pulled her close to his chest. "She'll be alright," he whispered. "Things like this, tragedies, just take time. Your mom will come around, I promise." He placed a dry kiss to her forehead and just held his daughter in the silence of the room.

----

"Are they gonna be down soon?" Pearl inquired, as she adjusted the wide brim of her black hat.

Glenn sighed, as he leaned into the back seat of Piper's van and adjusted his youngest niece in the car seat. "Pearl, you don't understand how tough this is on Andy and Piper." He shook his head, as he connected a few straps. "You need to be more patient, sweetheart." Leaning back, he inspected his work to make sure that his baby niece was securely within her seat. "Are you okay, baby doll?"

Prissandra's lip trembled, and she sniffled.

Glenn shook his head and retrieved a tissue from his pocket. "Hey now, it's okay," he gently wiped the tiny witch's nose, "it'll be okay."

"Dad?"

The mortal pulled his fingers together, tucking the dirty kleenex within them. "What?" He asked, whirling towards his daughter.

Pearl seemed to recoil, and walk backwards into the siding door. Her face scrunched as he hat tumbled from her dark hair and flitted a few feet across the driveway.

A pang seized his stomach, as he saw the look on his only child's face. "I'm sorry," he said quickly, as he snagged the hat from the ground. "I didn't mean-"

"It's fine," the Blessed One croaked. She wrapped her slender fingers around the velvet brim and yanked it from her father's grasp.

"What did you want?" His tone was considerably quieter.

"Nothing." She began to turn away.

"Pearl," the mortal pleaded, grasping her shoulder.

Pearlinda flinched, shaking away her father's hand. "I just wanted to tell you that I felt a raindrop," she hissed. Her voice was quiet, but angry. Anymore so and it was sure to crack. The witchlighter pointed a pale index finger towards a dark spot on the cement. "I-"

"Pearl-"

"I'm going to go find Phiona," the Blessed witch interjected, before hurrying off with her hat in hand.

The mortal heaved a painful sigh, as he turned to face his quivering niece. "Are you cold?" He pulled his legs onto the smokey gray carpet of the van and pulled the sliding door shut. "Prissy, honey?" He held out his hand in a desperate attempt to comfort the child.

Prissy sniffled again, as she wrapped her small fingers around her Uncle Glenn's large index finger and gave a small whimper of muted relief.

Glenn flashed a teary smile towards his niece, because for the first time in a very long time, he knew he'd been able to provide a comfort for Prissandra that he hadn't been able to for his wife or daughter.

----

"Phi?" Pearl poked her head around the corner of the attic door, staring blankly at the small glow of shafts of pale light coming from the stained glass windows. She could see her baby cousin perched crossed legged on the floor, with her head buried in her hands. "Phiona?" Amongst the quiet, she heard a distinct whimpering as she shuffled across the hardwood panels. "Hey," she soothed, "it's okay." The elder witch kneeled quietly, wrapping her arms around her cousin's waist and pulling her closer.

Phiona whispered something incoherent, as she nestled her wet face into her cousin's shoulder.

"Shhh."

"I m-m-miss her so much!"

"I know." Pearl tightened her grip around her cousin, as she felt body shake with boisterous sobs. She wished so much that she could comfort Phiona more; she wish she knew how. As far back as she could remember, she'd been closer to the Phi than any of her other cousins. In fact, Phiona Wyatt was more like a sister to her, rather than a cousin.

"It's not fair, Pearl," the younger Blessed One croaked. "I just don't understand." A heavy breath fled her mouth. "I thought they all had to vanquish The Source? I thought-I thought...that it took the Power of Four, not Aunt Prue?" Clear, salty bubbles dribbled in rivers down her cheeks as she leaned her weight into Pearl's chest.

"I guess," the elder cousin stumbled for the right words, "I guess there's more than one way." She swallowed painfully, thinking about the conversation that she'd stumbled upon just hours before her Aunt Prue's passing. She remembered hearing voices behind the door on her way to the bathroom, just minutes before midnight, and stopping to listen. She could remember how her blood had practically run cold, when she heard that it had actually been a spell written by Andy and cast by Pandora, which had truly been responsible for The Source's vanquish and her aunt's ultimate demise. _I also know why they can never tell us. Pandora couldn't handle that kind of trauma. None of them could._

"Pearl?"

The eldest Blessed One shook her head, clearing her mind of the incriminating thoughts, at least for now. "What?"

"Nevermind."

Pearl pushed a strand of the pale brown, almost blonde, hair from her cousin's streaked face. "Come on, we don't want to be late to Aunt Prue's funeral." She took her cousin's hand and helped them both up. "In fact, we should probably be early. You know how prompt she i.." She shook her head, catching her tenses, "Was."

The corners of the younger witch's mouth lightly curved. "She'd probably haunt us from the grave."

Pearl's brown irises shifted upwards, eyeing the ceiling as if someone was actually there. "Let's not take any chances."

----

Leo stood rigidly outside of his and Piper's bedroom. He was fiddling uncontrollably with the black cuffs of his suit and trying desperately to ignore the irate ringing in his ears. The whitelighter couldn't believe that The Elders actually had the nerve to call him on the day of his sister-in-law's funeral. He stomped his glossy new black dress shoe against the floor and turned a rueful look towards the ceiling. "This is not a good time," he seethed. "I can't leave her right now!" Staring down at his hands, he could see small orbs sprouting around them and clamped his fist shut, making the orbs vanish in a frightful flurry. "I said no!"

----

Inside Piper's room, it was like deja vu. She sat blankly at her nightstand, running a brush through her long coco locks. It was an accustomed action lately. Robotic, really, for the witch to just come the brush through her hair day in and day out.

The events of the past week were like a video on a loop. After Prue's insistence of using her remaining strength to vanquish Huldra and Minerva, Piper had been at Prue's side every moment, right un until her sister had told her that she loved her and not to try and summon her after her death. She remembered Prue's labored breathing and how she'd said that she would refuse to come, because this was real and Piper had to accept that. Of course, she had not. Her and Andy both had refused. She remembered reading the summoning spell, but only getting a cold gust of wind that blew out her candles. Once, twice, three times. Then, without a word, she'd walked to her room and began to brush her hair.

Today's difference was that Andy happened to be sitting kitty corner of the room, lightly bouncing Pandora on his knee. The Inspector was dressed in a sharp black suit, crisp white dress shirt, and a satin red tie draped down the front of his shirt. He'd wanted to wear black, but Pandora had begged him to choose red, because she'd said that it made her think of Twizzlers that Prue loved to eat. He'd done it for Pandora, although it had hurt so much. His face was freshly shaven and hair neatly trimmed, only because Paige had threatened to use her magic to do it herself, if Andy didn't do it for Prue's funeral.

He loved Paige, maybe she was more of a sister to him than either Piper or Phoebe whom he'd ironically known all their lives, but it hurt him too much to be around her right now. Not only was she carrying his and Prue's child, but she was so like Prue that it hurt him to see her.

"Aunt Piper?"

"Yes sweetie?" Her tone was deadpan and she stared straight ahead, continuing to run the brush through her brown waves.

The telepath's tone almost quivered as she clung to her father's rhythmically thudding knee. "Why don't you miss mommy?"

Piper froze. Her muscles all seemed to fill with lead at the exact same moment and her breathing came to a screeching halt. To onlookers, it would appear that her own ability to freeze had backfired on her. Then her fingers seemed to loosen around the wooden brush, allowing it to free fall through the air until it came to an abrupt crash against the carpeted floor. Piper hung there for a moment, staring at her dead expression. Her eyes were practically gaping holes, her face pale, and her lips dry and chapped. Then, for the first time since Prue's demise, a single clear drop fled her eye and carved an agonizing path down her cheek until it dropped off and flew through the air, before finally hitting the floor and being absorbed by the fibers.

"Pandora," her voice was low as it threatened to crack, "who told you that I don't miss your mommy?" Her fingers flexed and she slid from the wooden chair, making a 180 turn to face her niece.

"Nobody," the little girl whispered. "I just knowed."

Another tear. "What?"

"You didn't cry for mommy," the telepath explained. She patted her curly raven head. "I didn't need to looks inside your mind to know you didn't care. Everybody who cared crieded for mommy. But," her voice dropped to just above a whisper, "not you."

"Pandora," Andy interjected, in a weak attempt to diffuse the situation.

"No, Andy-"

"Piper, please-" Andy's voice came to an abrupt halt and his knee leg stopped jiggling. His mouth hung open mid sentence, his eyes staring straight at Piper, but he did not move. The Inspector stood frozen in time.

Piper crossed over to the frozen man and his daughter, kneeling down to Pandora's eye level. As she locked eyes with her big sister's first born, she could feel her heart crumbling in her chest. _How could she think that?_ Piper shook her head furiously, allowing her over brushed hair to tangle around her head. "That's not true, Pandora. You can't possibly believe that I don't care about your mommy." She gently took the telepath's hands in hers. "Sometimes Aunt Piper can't express her feelings like everyone else," she attempted. "Sometimes I bottle things up."

"Bowttle twings up?"

"Yeah," she faltered. "I, uhm, I don't show much sad I am."

"Why?"

"Because," the tears were coming now, "then I know that it's real."

Pandora slid her hand gently from Piper's and reached out to place a comforting hand on Piper's now dripping cheek. "I'm sorry."

"No baby, I'm sorry," she wheezed. "I shouldn't of acted like I did."

"Bowttling stuffs up?"

"Yeah." Her chest heaved, as she scooped the child into her arms and held her close. "I love you, baby."

"I wove you too, Auntie Piper."

"-let me handle this." Andy looked around, feeling a weight had been lifted from his leg. He heard soft moaning and saw his daughter clamped tightly in his sister-in-law's arms. "Piper.."

"I'm sorry, Andy." Piper whispered, as she stood up and handed Pandora back to him. "It's just-"

Andy cupped her hand in his. "I know," he whispered, "it's Prue."

----

A few quiet wraps and a subtle jingle of a handle, came just before the whisper of, "Pheebs?"

The psychic had been huddled in the corner of her expansive room, encircle by dirty white tissues and several photo albums. Dark black streaks of runny mascara were pummeling down her reddened cheeks, and her usually silky hair was matted to the sides of her wet face. The small television across the room was giving off an almost unheard hum, as a frozen picture of a long ago Christmas video flickered on the screen.

"Oh Phoebe," Victor Bennett whispered, bending to clear a path through the mountain of tissues. "Oh sweetie, why didn't you call me sooner? I could've taken an earlier flight."

Phoebe shrugged. She manically turned the page of her photo album, flicking it a page which displayed several pictures of Prue as a child. The first four pictures were simply of Patty and Prue, who was about a year old at the time. Shifting her gaze to the next plastic sheet, she now saw pictures of Prue with her hands over Patty's very pregnant belly, no doubt Patty had been heavily pregnant with Piper at the time those pictures had been taken. "It's not fair.."

"Of course it's not," Victor whispered, wrapping his arms around his youngest baby's shoulders. "But it was Prue's time, Phoebe. It was her time."

Phoebe's teeth clattered. She, nor the rest of the family, had told them about the backfired spell. Nor did she want to. "No," came her simple defiant remark. She turned the page, which now contained a picture of Prue sitting on the bed with Patty, and baby Piper in her arms. When she looked to the next one, it was Prue with an infant Piper in her arms. The third was a picture of Grams and Prue.

Victor gentle slid his hands over the sides of the photo album and flipped a few pages further. "That was Prue on her first day of Kindergarten," he explained. He inched his finger across the protective cover to a small figure in the background. "That was the day she met Andy. See, he's lurking there in the back." He gave a small chuckle. "The moment she came running up to me with him, I knew he was gonna be trouble."

Phoebe sniffled, her tears starting to subside. "Trouble?"

"He was going after my baby girl," Victor smirked. "Any father knows that's trouble."

Phoebe smiled meekly, trying to imagine how that scene would've gone.

Victor proceeded to change a few more pages, until Phoebe grabbed his hand to stop him. "What?"

"Look," Phoebe gave a wistful smile. "I took that picture when we traveled back in to the seventies to stop mom from blessing Nicholas' ring." She pointed to the picture where a 5-year-old Prue and 3-year-old Piper had placed their hands on Patty's still flat, but definitely pregnant, stomach. "That best damn picture I ever took of myself." She shifted a few more pages, until she came to one which sent another trickle of tears down her face. It was one of her, barely a few hours old, being cradled in Prue's arms. "There aren't a lot of pictures of me and Prue," she informed.

"You don't need them," the mortal assured, as he shut the album. "Everything you need to remember her is right here." He placed an index finger to each of her temples. "And she'll always be alive here," he said, pointing to Phoebe's heart.

"But-"

"Nothing." Victor scooped his baby girl off the floor and onto the bed. "You need to get ahold of yourself, Phoebe. Your family needs you right now. You husband, your sisters, and most of all your daughters. They're all struggling too, you know? And you can't be selfish." He snagged a tissue from the dresser and wiped away the dark smears of makeup. "I want you dressed in ten minutes and ready to go." He grabbed a black dress that Cole had hung on the closet and splayed it across the bed. "If I come back up here and find you still in pajamas, there's going to be problems." His tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and softened his tone. "I love you, Phoebe," he added with a kiss, before leaving the room and Phoebe to her own devices.

----

"Darryl, Sheila!" Paige gave her best smile, as she exchanged labored hugs with her old time friends. "I'm so glad you're offering to do this."

"You guys are like family," Sheila insisted. "We're happy to help in any way we can."

"I'm sorry about Ms. Halliwell," DJ whispered timidly, from his place behind his mother.

"Thanks," Paige said, turning a thankful smile to the young African American boy. "That means more than you'll ever know."

"Is there anything you want?" DJ ventured, coming into view and taking ahold of his mother's hand.

The witchlighter shook her head and gave the boy a reassuring pat on the back. "No, but thank you for asking." She placed a hand over her heavily pregnant stomach, sensing the high tension in the room.

"Where's Andy?" The Inspector asked, looking like he'd taken quite a beating over the past few days.

"Upstairs with Piper and Pandora." Her voice drifted to a steady low. "They're taking it the worst, Darryl, and understandably so.

Darryl nodded sympathetically. He never in his wildest dreams had imagined that he'd be standing with Andy at Prue's funeral. But then again, he had never dreamed that he'd see Andy again, after Rodriguez's murderous actions. "Are we the only ones coming?"

Paige shook her head. "No. Max and Pearl's friend Brandon we'll be meeting us there too. Besides them, it'll just be the High Priestess."

Darryl nodded. He glanced down at his watch, then shifted his brown gaze behind him to the window. He hoped that Piper and Andy would be ready soon, because he knew that today was bound to bring a rainstorm, and at an outdoor funeral that was never a good thing. "Paige?"

"Hmm?"

"Can I go un there?"

Paige seemed to chew her lip for a moment, before waving her hand. "Sure." She sucked in a breath of air. "It's the only door closed. In fact, I think Leo's near it."

"Thanks." With that, the African American Inspector headed up the stairs to find his partner.

Paige shifted uneasily. "I wanna thank you again," Paige whispered. "I know it's out of your way to come all the way out here just to pick Andy, Piper, and Pandora up."

"Nonsense!" Sheila Morris waved her hand dismissively. "Look, magical transportation is out of the question. I know you guys don't need anymore of that than necessary and they are not fit to drive themselves. And obviously," she indicated Paige's ever expanding stomach, "you're in no condition to drive and there just simply isn't enough room in Piper's van for everyone." She shook her head. "It's fine, Paige. Trust me. Besides, I know you'd do the same for us."

Paige flashed a sorrowful smile of thanks.

"Come here," Sheila whispered, wrapping her arms around the whitewitch and giving her a reassuring hug. "It'll be okay, just give it time." As she pulled away, she wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.

The clomping of heels on the stairs alerted them to the presence of more people heading towards the room. Paige instantly straightened a bit, and faced the stairs. She knew it was Piper; she'd know the sound of Piper's shoes anywhere. "Piper," she exclaimed as her sister rounded the corner. "Are you-"

"I'm fine," the elder witch cut in. "Sheila, Darryl, thank you."

Sheila simply gave a somber nod in her direction, and another in Andy's. Her eyes trailed over the three adults, to the young child in Andy's arms. "Pandora?"

Pandora's eyes fluttered, as she stared blearily at Sheila from her father's arms. "Hi, Ms. Morris."

"Hey baby girl," Sheila said, walking over to greet them at the end of the stairway. "How you holdin' up, buttercup?"

Pandora let out a tired yawn and blinked several times. "I miss mommy."

Sheila could feel her heart tearing. "I'm sorry, sweetie." She gently stroked Pandora's raven curls. "We all do."

"I know." The telepath pointed to her head. She yawned again. "Are you and Mr. Darryl gonna take us to see mommy?"

Darryl and Sheila seemed to exchange looks.

"Actually, we're all going to go say goodbye to your mom, Pandy," DJ interjected, surprising everyone.

Pandora's eyes seemed to brighten at the young boy's voice. She'd always looked up to DJ. "Are you coming too?"

"If you want me to," the young boy offered.

"Daddy," Pandora whispered, "can I get down to see DJ?"

"Sure." He bent down and placed her carefully on the ground.

"Daddy?"

"Hmm?"

"Maybe can I," she began to pick at her cuticles, "can I wide wif DJ?" She knew that it had been planned for her to ride with them, while DJ road with her cousins, but she always felt more comfortable around DJ.

"Uhm, Pandora, we kind of-"

"No, Paige, it's fine. Sure you can, honey," Andy interrupted. "Just be careful."

"Pwomise!" She chewed her lip. _And I won't bweak it like mommy_, she silently vowed.

----1 Hour Later----

"That which belongs to fellowship and love. That which belongs to the circle, remains with us. The wheel turns. As life is a day, so our sister has passed into night. Nothing is final, and we who remain behind know that one day, we will once again share the bread and wine with our sister. O' blessed spirit, we bid you farewell, for you await a new destiny."

The cherry haired Priestess unites a silver cord and gently lays it into a golden chalice that is marked on one side with a pentacle and on the other with the Triquetra. She pulls back her long red locks and leans towards the white candles, exhaling to blow each one out, causing the smoke to rise and curl around her head, before disappearing towards the ceiling.

Pearl leaned heavily into Brandon, burying her face into his cotton shirt and began to quietly weep for her aunt.

In turn, Brandon wrapped his arms tightly around his best friend and began to draw his hands in massaging circles over her back.

Wordlessly, Max took ahold of Piper's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Blessed be."

Piper could feel the tears clouding her vision again. "Thank you." Blindly, she reached out her other hand for her husband, who took it willingly. She could feel her stomach sloshing, as she leaned her body frail form into Leo's strong arms.

Andy stood up, walking across the damp grass which had been previously sprinkled with water droplets throughout the service and stopped at the center of the left side of the ivory coffin. He remembered the grave site vividly, as the place where Prue was being laid was right next to the place in which he'd been laid to rest in 1998. Fortunately, because of the spell The Elders had given the sisters to erase his death, his headstone no longer remained, nor did any remnants of another grave ever existing next to Prue's freshly dug one.

"Daddy?"

Andy leaned down and scooped his daughter from the ground, adjusting her on his left hip. Peering over his shoulder, he motioned to Paige.

Paige waddled over to the coffin, tears threatening to spill as Andy reached out and squeezed her hand.

"It's time to say goodbye to mommy," he whispered into his daughter's ear and at the same time laid a comforting hand over the stomach which held his and Prue's unborn. The Inspector reached into his inner flap of his black blazer and pulled out a single red rose. He stared at the coffin for a moment, hesitating before finally laying the rose against the shiny ivory.

That was the moment that the sky finally tore open, releasing a torrent of cleansing droplets from the heavy black storm clouds and hazy gray mess above. They ripped through the air with a fury, soaking everything they came in contact with. It may have just been an optical illusion, but to onlookers it appeared as those it they came specifically towards the faces of Andy and Pandora, and possibly even Paige's pregnant stomach.

Pandora laced her tiny hand with her farther's and stretched out her arm to touch her aunt's stomach, as she relished the cold water on her body. "Blessed be, mommy."

_**TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	12. Murder, She Croaked

A/N: Sit tight guys! (P.S. Ever seen, "Murder, She Wrote"?)

**_Change Happens_**

**_Chapter 12: Murder, She Croaked_**

Labored breathing could be heard, as a young woman struggled through an alley way. Her blonde hair was streaked with what appeared to be blackish-brown oil, while the right sleeve of her white blouse had been viciously torn. The young woman, a college student at best, was neurotically glancing over her shoulder every few moments as she limped through the garbage and puddles of muddy brown water. Her only illumination happened to be the light of the full moon, casting her shadow against the dirty brick wall. However, when she limped under the dark shelter of one of the overhanging roofs, a more burly shadow remained against the wall.

Moments passed and the larger shadow just stood there, then suddenly what appeared to be the shadow of a knife appeared against the wall. All at once the two-dimensional shadow lunged into the darkness, followed by the sound of a muffled cry, and then a small pool of cherry liquid began to leak out from the darkness and glisten in the moon light's rays.

----

Glenn slapped a tired hand to his mouth, muffling a yawn as he shuffled towards his and Paige's bedroom. Clad in a pair of blue and white stripped pajamas and white slippers, he was all set to retire for the night. As he approached his wife's room, he could hear a soft humming and immediately knew it had to be Paige. He was quite positive that they were the last two up at ten to midnight.

Stopping at the door, he leaned quietly against the frame and lightly pushed it open, allowing his eyeballs to roam the room. They landed on the bed and a smile grew on his face.

Paige, who was completely unaware of her husband's presence, had a pair of headphones over her bulging stomach and an earpiece in each of her ears; both were connected to the lime green iPodon the dresser next to her.She was proudly swaying to the beat, her pale lids hiding her brown irises, and humming a Mozart tune.

The mortal snickered quietly to himself, because he hadn't seen his wife in such a predicament since she'd been pregnant with Pearl. _Of course back then_, he thought with a chuckle, _she was sporting a white walkman._ Part of him really didn't even want to go into the room, because he knew that Paige's momentary joy would subside at the sight of him. He let out a painful sigh and wondered why things with their marriage had been so rocky the last few years. Finally deciding to bite the bullet, Glenn pushed open the door and strolled into the room.

Hearing the creak of the door, Paige's head shot up. Her smile faded and she merely nodded in her husband's direction. She gently placed her hands around her stomach, removing the headphones and then plucked the earpieces away.

"What were you listening to?" Glenn inquired, hoping to breath new life into the situation.

"Mozart."

"Oh." Glenn rubbed his head. "Any good?"

Paige shrugged, as she coiled the wires around the iPod.

"How does my niece like it?"

Again, the whitelighter-witch shrugged.

Glenn shook his head in dismay. "What are you so mad about?"

"Glenn, lets not go there right now, okay? Today's been a long day." She turned her back to the mortal and rolled to her side, facing the wall.

"Paige-"

"Goodnight." A small haze of blue surrounded the light switch, and before Glenn had a chance to respond, the room was clouded in darkness.

----Next Morning----

"What about this one?" Piper looked up curiously, as she held a saucy satin pink maternity top trimmed with white lace and spaghetti straps.

Paige's brows rose and she placed a porcelain hand to her head in dismay. "Good Goddess, they're trying to make maternity hip now!" She quickly snatched the top from her big sister and turned it around. "I swear I saw a normal version of this thing in a lingerie isle last month!"

"Did you ever stop to think that that's maybe why it's here now?"

The whitewitch scrunched up her face. "Good point!"

"How about this one?" The elder witch tried again, this time displaying a silken Summer dress, dotted with bright yellow daises.

"Oh Piper..."

"What?" The timer returned the dress and placed her hands on her hips. "I'm just trying to help!"

"I know you are, sweetie. It's just that," she turned towards one of the full length mirrors, "I just never thought I'd be in this predicament again."

Piper's hands slid from her waist and the air about her seemed to dissipate. "None of us thought this was going to happen, Paige."

"Piper, I'm sorry-"

"No, it's fine. It's just, hard, you know? I'm trying, Paige. Really, I am."

"I know, Piper, and I couldn't be more grateful! I mean, I've always wanted this kind of time with you. I just wish it could've come at a better time." She closed her brown eyes and sighed. "I know you'd rather be doing this with Pr...her."

The older witch dabbed at the corner of her eyes with the sleeve of her brown suede jacket. "Paige..." She moved lightly, wrapping a protective arm around her baby sister. "C'mon. What d'ya say we ditch this joint and go get ice cream or something?" She laid a soft hand on her sister's bulge. "Do you like ice cream?"

Paige clicked her tongue. "She likes mocha ice scream with vanilla swirls, sprinkles, and extra whip cream!"

Piper's brow twitched. "Her or you?"

"Okay, so maybe I like the extra whip cream.."

"Well good, there's an ice cream parlor down the street. My treat."

"But-"

"No buts," she protested, placing a finger to Paige's lips. "We'll try this maternity gig again later this week. Right now it's all about the scoops." The timing Charmed One proceeded to loop arms with her sister and lead her out the door.

----

Persia leaned her head against the cold metal of her gray locker, relieving herself of a soft moan. The last thing she wanted to do was go to Chemistry and face Mr. Burgoise. Unfortunately the loud ringing of the school bell echoed against her eardrums and she knew that ten minute break was over. "Damn," she cursed, flicking her locker closed. As the locker slammed against the metal, however, she came face to face with the guy she'd been avoiding since her Aunt Prue's capture. "Tyler."

"Hi," the blonde managed to squeak.

"What do you want?"

"To talk.."

"Do you realize what time it is?" She shoved her watch into his face, as she glided past him.

"I know, but I can't get to you any other way."

"Exactly."

"Oh come on! You can't still be mad at me!"

"Oh, believe me, I can and I am!" The electric shifted the weight of her heavy backpack to her right shoulder, as she rounded the corner.

"Come on, Persia!"

"I've got to go."

"This is important!"

"So is Chemistry." She glared, turning another corner. "Speaking of which, don't you have your own Science class to get to?"

"I'm a Senior, remember? Fourth period is my free period."

"Lucky you." The electrokinetic's voice was like acid.

"Please!" Desperately, the blonde grabbed hershoulder and wheeled her around to face him.

"Let go of me!"

"Persia-"

"I said let go!" Her brown hair seemed to prickle with static electricity, along with the fibers of her cotton dress.

Tyler Michaels drew in a sharp breath and drew back his hand, seeing several small white shock marks that had partially melted the top layer of his skin. "Damnit!" He held his wrist and by the time he looked up, Persia was gone. His shoulders slacked, as a Sophomore bumped into him.

"Sorry!" The kid dashed off down the hall, running around the corner just as the bell rang.

"Damnit!" The Firestarter hollered again, flinging his arms within the empty corridor. He heard a small hiss and looked down, to see a tiny licking flame at his feet. "Shit!" He quickly stomped at the flame, extinguishing it, only to reveal a dark black mark on the brown carpet.

----

"Ooh!" Paige grinned, as the man handed her a large waffle cone topped with three scoops of mocha and vanilla swirls, coated in sprinkles, and topped with obscene amounts of dairy whip. As she lifted the cone to her awaiting red lips, she felt herself lunge forward and the cone flew from her hands as she fell into her sister.

"What the-"

A young woman scuttled past Paige, jogging vigorously towards the door.

"Hey! Hey!" Piper yelled. She wanted to go after the woman, but the need to stay and make sure her sister was okay was far too overpowering. "Paige, are you alright?"

Paige stood stoic for a moment, a few beads of sweat knitting on her forehead. "Piper, after her!"

"What?"

"Come on!" Paige grabbed her sister's hand and waddled towards the door, the cone completely forgotten.

"Miss! Hey, wait! What about your other-" But the man was too late. His words were lost against the swinging door, as he stood holding Piper's cone.

----

"Where are we going?" Piper hissed, as she and Paige raced down the sidewalk.

"I don't know..."

"Stop!" The timer grabbed her sister, pulling her to a halt. "What happened back there?"

"I had...I mean, the baby had a premonition. That woman's going to get killed! I have to find out where she went!"

Piper waved her hands at the nearly desolate sidewalks. "I don't think you're going to find her this way, Paige."

"But we've got to! Piper, this was brutal!"

"Well you're going to have to-" Her voice seemed to drown out by the sound of a piercing scream.

"This way!" Paige once again assumed her course, this time following the scream towards an alley a few shops down from the ice cream parlor. As she turned the corner, her heart seemed to skip a beat.

"Oh my god!" Piper gasped, skidding to a stop behind her sister. She was staring at a young Asian woman, clearly not the same woman that had bumped into her sister just moments earlier.

The Asian looked unusually pale. Her hands were grasping her face in horror, as she stared at a dead body of another woman at the end of the alley. The Asian looked as though she was about to vomit, and her eyes seemed transfixed on the pool of congealed red blood that haloed the victim's frame.

"I'll call the police," Paige managed, as she slipped her hand into her pocket and retrieved her cell phone. Clicking speed dial two, her call went to Darryl Morris' private line. Two rings passed, before she heard a click and the familiar sound of the Inspector's husky voice. "Darryl, it's Paige. We've got a problem..."

----

"Hey squirt!" Victor grinned cheekily at his granddaughter, kneeling down next to her bed as he tapped her lightly on her button nose. "You daddy said you weren't feeling well today."

Pandora frowned, extending a pudgy lip and rubbing circles on her stomach.

Victor seemed to laugh as he slid his hands under the child's arms and scooped her out from under the covers. "You mother used to do the same thing when she didn't really want to go to school." The mortal grabbed a pair of Pandora's light-up tennis shoes and slid them onto her white socked feet. "What'd ya say I take you the same place I used to take her?"

Pandora wrinkled her nose. "You spent time wif mommy when she was a wittle giwl?"

"Of course!" Victor gave a wistful sigh. "We used to be real good buddies, once upon a time."

"Like in da faiwy tales?"

Victor light bit his bottom lip. "Yeah." He examined her pink and white stripped pajama set and smiled. "You know, you're the spitting image of her."

"Tank you."

"Welcome." He winked, before ruffling his granddaughter's hair and heaving her onto her feet. "C'mon. I've got something I really want to show you."

"What is it?"

"A surprise."

"Tell me!"

"No, you'll just have to wait and see." He narrowed his eyes and waved an index finger at the child. "And don't you try to probe my mind. I had your Aunt Phoebe whip me up a temporary telepath blocking potion this morning."

"You no fun," the Blessed One grumbled. Despite that, she slid her small hand into his and proudly trotted out of the room with him.

----

"You shouldn't be here," Pearlinda drawled. "You should be at school."

"How'd you know I was here?"

The curves of her rosebud lips twisted upwards as she trailed the tip of her nail across the sparkling water of the pentacle fountain at Corona Heights Park. "I'm psychic?"

"That's your Aunt Phoebe," Brandon corrected, as he slid into the edge of the fountain behind her. "Or maybe Pandora."

Pearl smirked, dipping her fingers into the cool water.

"How long have you known?"

"Oh," she closed her eyes and smiled wistfully, "about twenty minutes."

"Oh." Brandon frowned, as he slowly snaked his arms around her waist. "I was just worried about you."

"I know." Pearl laid her hand against the fountain and watched the water slowly retreat from her pale skin. "And I'm glad. But you shouldn't be missing school just for me."

"It's only lunch," the teleporter countered. He placed his chin on her shoulder and lightly blew across her ear, making a small strand of her dark brown hair twitter. "Guess what happened today."

"Hmm?"

"It involves Joanna..."

The whitewitch bashed her doe-like lashes and arched her brows in curiosity. "Do tell."

"She was doing a transmogrification potion and it required eye of newt. Unfortunately," his last word was punctuated with laughter, "she grabbed an identical bottle labeled 'Wart of Toad.'" His eyes were sparkling now and his cheeks were flushing like pink rose petals. "It exploded on her and morphed her into a toad! Everyone was laughing like crazy!" His held his stomach as he rocketed into laughter, waiting to hear his best friend do the same. However, when he heard nothing, he looked back at Pearl with concern. "Pearl?"

Pearl's expression displayed nothing of the humorous sort. She shook her somber head and frowned. "That's wrong, Brandon. To laugh at Joanna like that."

Brandon's mouth dropped, his eyes widening to the size of boulder marbles.

"You should've pointed and laughed!" She suddenly cackled, finally breaking her icy gaze and sliding to the ground next to the fountain, laughing almost insanely. "Oh my Goddess, you should've seen the look on your face!"

The male witch resumed his laughter, falling down next to his friend as tears started to form in his eyes from laughing so hard.

"A toad," she cackled. "I cannot believe it! I wish I could've seen it!"

**_TO BE CONTINUED..._**


	13. Witches' Parking Only, All Others Will

A/N: There's some Prue in this chapter...but before you guys get all excited, it's probably NOT what you think. Please enjoy... 

**_Change Happens_**

**_Chapter 13: Witches' Parking Only, All Others Will Be Toad_**

"And then I followed her scream to the alley, where we saw her staring at the body."

"Are you sure you didn't see anyone else?" The officer inquired, as he scribbled notes onto his report.

"Positive." Paige chewed her lip as she glanced over at Piper, who was talking to another officer. "Uhm, can we go yet?"

"Yeah, I'll just need your name and-"

"I've got it from here," Darryl interrupted, stepping between the officer and Paige. "Thanks, Jake." He slipped the report from the younger man and waved him away.

"So?"

"So it appears the victim was killed somewhere between late last night and early this morning. It also appears as though she was stabbed, but we can't find the murder weapon." His brown eyes flicked around the dreary crime scene and his voice lowered to just above a whisper. "Do you think this could be-"

"Yeah," Paige breathed a little too quickly. "I had a premonition right before I heard that woman's scream. It wasn't about this murder, but I think if I was drawn here, there might be a connection. Possibly even the same killer."

"Don't you mean demon?"

"Or any other sort of evil."

"Great."

"Look, Darryl, if you find anymore info, please call me. And if I find out anything, you'll be the first to know."

"Meanwhile, your names get stuck to another unsolved case."

"Unsolved so far."

Darryl shrugged as he scribbled something else on the report. "You guys can go." He motioned for his other officer to let Piper leave, before giving Paige a silent nod, and then walking back to the now plastic covered corpse.

"What do you think?" Piper asked, walking over to her little sister.

"I think we've got trouble on our hands."

----

"Mr. Turner, you're late."

Cole slipped through the gates and took his seat on the right side of the room. "Sorry Your Honor, I was momentarily detained." He smoothed the creases of his jacket as his voice began to flow a little more smoothly. "Car problems," he lied. "And I had to get my daughter to school."

The dark gray eyes of the judge bore into Cole, not sure if he believed the man or not. He frowned, running a wrinkled hand over his nearly bald head and then grabbing his gavel. "It better not happen again, Mr. Turner."

"Thank you for your understanding, Your Honor."

Judge Windsor slammed the gavel against its base. "This court is now in session." He let his eyes run across the packed room, before trailing over the defendant and his attorney, then to the jurors, and finally back to Cole. "We'll start with opening statements. Mr. Turner?"

The half demon slipped easily from his chair, advancing towards the jury in long, slow strides. "I'm here today on behalf of Tellsa Eli, the victim of a brutal rape and murder, committed by the defendant." His hand shot out like a bullet, identifying the silver suited defendant. "During the course of this trial, you will find that without a doubt, Mr. Dwight Alfred carefully planned and executed his ex-girlfriend, because she decided to leave the confines of her abusive relationship."

As Cole spoke, Dwight Alfred turned hastily towards his attorney. "We've got to do something about this," he whispered, although his thin pasty lips barely seemed to move. "He's going to ruin everything."

The attorney nodded, glancing down at his shadow on the floor. His eyes narrowed and he barely motioned his head.

The shadow, unnoticed by the rest of the courtroom, moved quietly across the room before dissolving into black ripples and disappearing into the floor.

----

"Where are we?" The telepath inquired, as her grandfather swung her out of the back car seat.

"We're at a dock," Victor explained, walking hand in hand with Pandora towards the ocean.

"But you saided that you and momma used to come hewe."

"We did."

"But momma's scawed of watews."

"She didn't used to be."

"Weally?"

"She only got scared of water after Grandma Patty died." He gently squeezed her hand, edging her onto the weathered and wooden dock. "It's okay," he tugged ever so slightly, "I promise."

"But Grandma Pa-"

"That was a demon," the mortal explained. "Your mommy and aunts vanquished him a long time ago."

Pandora looked hesitantly for a moment, before finally jumping onto the faded brown wood. "Why'd you come hewe?"

"We liked the view." As he walked, he could hear the water lapping under the dock and the thick smell of salt was attempting to overpower his nostrils. "Come here," he grinned, scooping his granddaughter from the ground. Victor Bennett's pace quickened as he shimmied down the length of the dock, reaching the end in about ten seconds.

Once there, he neatly leveled Pandora to the ground and then plopped down next to her, letting his feet hang over the edge. "Your mom and I," he gave at the aquamarine ocean wistfully, "we used to sit here and just watch the water. Sometimes we'd come really earlier in the morning when Grandma Patty and your Aunt Piper were still asleep and we'd watch the sun rise against the water. Or we'd come near dust to watch it set."

"Auntie Pipew nevew came too?"

"Nope. This was our special place." He ran a hand through his graying feathery hair. "Sometimes we'd talk about what the future would bring." Victor looped his arm around the telepath's neck and pulled her closer, tucking her under his arm. "Did you know that when your mom was your age, she wanted to be a ballerina?"

"Weally?"

"Oh yeah! She said she'd be famous one day. And that she'd have a family like ours. Sometimes she'd even talk about your daddy. She said she wanted to have two little girls, like Grandma Patty. And she wanted to take the oldest here, just like I did with her."

Pandora looked down at her thumbs and began to pick at her cuticles. "But she didn't."

"She probably forgot," Victor sighed. "It was, after all, a long time ago." He placed his hand against the faded wood support, on his side of the dock. "Look."

"What?" Pandora's eyes shifted and she crawled into her grandfather's lap. The young witch placed her hands against the wooden beam. "What it say?"

Victor smiled and traced his right index finger over the slightly deformed heart that was carved into the wood. "You mommy and I made this on one of our trips here. See?" He pointed to the names scrawled within the heart. "That says 'Victor,'" his finger dropped to the intersecting lines below his name, "this is an addition symbol that means plus," his finger then slid to the last word, "and that says 'Prue.'"

"Did you make it?"

"Nope. Your mom did."

Pandora smiled, tracing her fingers over the indentations. "Grandpa?"

"Hmm?"

"Can we make one too?"

Victor smiled and slid his hand into his back pocket, retrieving a small red and silver switch blade. "I was hoping you'd ask." He flicked open the blade, allowing it to catch the morning rays and cast a bright glimmer against the water below.

_**----Flashback----**_

_"You have to be very careful with this," Victor explained, as he extended the sharp blade to a 5-year-old Prue._

_"I will daddy, I pwomise!" Prue exclaimed, her blue eyes wild with excitement. She gently wrapped her small fingers around the blade. "Will you teach me how?"_

_"Of course," Victor grinned, cupping his hand around hers. "Just follow my lead." He led her hand towards the wooden pillar and positioned the knife against the wood. "You have to apply a lot of pressure, Prudence."_

_"I can do, it daddy. I sweaw!"_

_"I know you can." Victor used his free hand to ruffle her raven locks. "Okay. On the count of three. One...two..three!" He gently helped his daughter press the blade of the knife into the wooden, hearing a sharp crack as they did so. "Now curve it into a heart, sweetie."_

_Prue squeezed tightly, arching the blade upwards and then back down at a sharp slant. Her mouth was slightly open in concentration. "Did I do it right, daddy? Did I?"_

_"It's perfect, Prudence."_

_Prue beamed as her father led her hand upwards, positioning it on the point where they'd started, but this time leaning to the left._

_"Ready?" _

"Yep!" Prue curled his fist again and pulled the knife up, before bring it back down in a swift movement. Her face scrunched in aggravation as she pulled her hand away.

_"What's wrong, Prue?"_

_"It's not perfect."_

_Victor stared quizzically at the slightly imperfect heart. "Prue," he wrapped his arms around her, "anything you do will be perfect to me."_

_"But-"_

_He placed a finger to the young witch's lips. "No buts, Miss Prudence." His brows rose. "Do you wanna finish this?"_

_The raven haired witch focused on the deformity for a moment, her eyes sparkling with determination. "Yeah." She snagged the blade from the dock and held it back up to the pillar. "Make youw name, daddy."_

_Carefully, Victor took the blade and carved each letter of his first name within the outline of Prue's heart. "Give me your hand," he instructed._

_"Okay." She proudly reached up, taking hold of the knife in her father's possession. "Whatis we gonna make now?"_

_"A plus," Victor explained, as he helped her make a an inch long level line under his name. "And now we make a line over it," he said, guiding her hand and the blade above the line and then drawing them back down._

_"Now my name?"_

_"Yep."_

_"I wanna do it."_

_"Prue-"_

_"No." She shook her finger defiantly. "I wanna do it. I'm a big girl, daddy!"_

_The mortal hesitated for a second, before finally relenting and handing the knife to his daughter. He knew she dealt with worse than a switch blade on a daily basis._

_Prue held her hand under the plus, her knuckles draining of color as she shoved the knife into the wood._

_"Are you-"_

_"I'm fine, daddy," the little witch cut in. "I know how to make my name." She pulled down, making the back up the 'P,' and then she maneuvered her hand a little ways over. The small witch was breathing hard at this point, refusing to give up. She dug at the wood, but the knife didn't seem to go very far._

_"Prue?"_

_"I'm gonna do it!" She proceeded to squint her blue eyes, giving the knife an extra push of supernatural force, digging it into the wood and drawing it down, before coming back up to curl the top of the 'r.' After witch, the 5-year-old proceeded to do the name with the 'u' and 'e' in her name. "Look!" She squealed proudly, holding up the switch blade in triumph. "I did it, daddy!" When she received no response, she tried again. "Daddy?" She waved her hand. "Daddy?"_

_**----Flashback----**_

"Grandpa? Grandpa?"

His granddaughter's voice shook his from his trance and he pulled his eyes away from the wooden carving. "Pandora?"

"Are we gonna make one?"

"Yeah," he answered quietly. He gently took Pandora's hand and wrapped it carefully around the handle of the knife. "You have to be very careful with this,"Victor began to explain.

----

Leo stood over the sink, wiping squashed peas from his face. He shook his let, turning on the faucet and allowing the water to wash the mashed green spheres down the drain.

"Daddy!"

"Just a minute, Prissy." He turned off the water and began shuffling back to his youngest, when a sharp ringing tickled his ears. "Damnit!" He stared up at the ceiling, glowering. He was supposed to watch Prissandra for a few hours, while Piper and Paige were off shopping. He hadn't expected a call from The Elders. "I can't come now," he yelled, reaching his daughter and lifting up the white tray of her high chair. To his annoyance, the jingle seemed to get that much louder.

From her chair, Prissandra gave a googly eyed stare and stretched her arms up for her father. "Daddy!"

"Oh," the blonde shook his head as he scooped his baby girl into his arms, "The Elders are not gonna like this." With that, their forms fizzled into a haze of blue and swirled to the ceiling, disappearing towards the heavens.

----

"Oh, come on!" Phoebe screeched. She slammed her palm against the horn of her car, forcing it to howl as an Arrest Me Red Toyota Solara swerved into her reserved parking spot. She slapped the horn again, as the engine on the Toyota Solara died. "Asshole!" She clicked the locks and shoved her door open, hopping from the car in a mad rage. "Hey, buddy!"

The bright red car door swung open, and out extended a supermodel styled leg, clad in a spindly copper stiletto. A matching leg followed, and then the extremely tall form of a woman appeared. She wore a tight black mini dress, a wide brimmed hat covered her layers of apple red hair, and she donned large dark movie star shades. Her lips were full and painted in blood red, matching her manicured nails which clasped the car door and swung it shut. She aimed her key chain at the car, flexing her thumb and activating the car's alarm, with a small bleep.

"Hey, you!"

The woman strode off in the direction of The Bay Mirror, refusing to even glance back at the witch.

"Bitch!" Phoebe fumed, slipping back into her car and slamming the door. As she drove past the car vehicle, she caught the license plate which read, 'HRTBR8R'. The Charmed One snorted. "Heartbreaker my ass," she cursed, moving to the public parking area which appeared to be filled. "Ah crap!"

----

"Leo!" Piper yelled as she walked through the front door.

"He's not here," Paige informed, turning to hang her jacket on the coat rack.

"How do you know?"

"I can't sense him." The whitewitch frowned. "I only sense Andy, who's stillup in his room."

"Just great!" The timer hissed, striding for the stairs. "When we actually need him-"

"Piper, he's probably just off with Prissy. Maybe he took her to the park or something?" She shrugged. "Maybe The Elders called him away?"

"And he took our daughter?"

Again, Paige shrugged. "I would."

"I know you would," Piper glowered, "but this is my husband we're talking about."

"Right." Paige's shoulders laxed. "He always tries to stick to the rules." The corners of her mouth curved. "Except, of course, where you and your girls are concerned."

The elder witch's brown eyes rolled, as she strode into the attic. "Funny, Paige."

The half whitelighter flicked her eyes skyward. "Well I try."

"So what exactly are we looking for?" Piper asked, flipping open the Book of Shadows.

"I don't know," the younger witch sighed. "The premonition was vague. Like, I saw a shadow of some sort, but I never got a good look at the demon."

"A shadow?" Piper wrinkled her nose as she licked finger fingers and began to thumb through the yellowed pages. "The only shadow we've ever faced was The Woogy, but he doesn't have arms. In fact, he has totrick someone to do his dirty work." She shook her head, flicking past the page about The Woogy.

----

"Elise!" Phoebe angrily tossed her purse into her office, moving past her assistant's desk with almost supernatural agility. "Elise!"

"Phoebe-" Rachel called back, standing up with a worried look upon her face. "Phoebe, wait!"

Unfortunately Phoebe was lost in spite as she burst through Elise's door. "Elise, I've got a problem. This movie star bitch in a red car took my parking-" Her voice stopped mid sentence as her brown eyes bulged. Sitting before her, behind Elise's desk in the boss' plush leather chair, the redhead sat twirling a strand of her glossy apple red hair.

At that moment, Elise emerged from the doorway behind Phoebe, stirring a cup of fresh coffee. She smiled as she slipped past Phoebe, obviously missing Phoebe's outrage just moments earlier. "Oh, Phoebe! Just the girl I wanted to see." She gazed between her star employee and the redhead at her desk. "I see you've already met my niece."

Phoebe stood frozen in place. Her mouth was agape and her cheeks were infused with extra blood, giving them a shocking shade of red.

----

Pandora proudly traced her fingers over the newly carved heart and within its center it read, 'Victor + Pandora'.

"You did a fine job," the mortal praised.

"It's pwetty." Pandora frowned, scrambling to her feet. "I wish mommy could see it."

Victor glanced towards the clear blue sky, a small smile playing on his lips. "Oh, I bet she can."

"Suwe?"

"Very." The graying man slid the blade back into the cover and injected the switch blade into his back pocket. "Buttercup, we should probably get going," he informed, glancing down at his gold watch.

Pandora's lip protruded, as she slid her hand into Victor's. "Will we come back?"

"If you want to."

"I do." For a moment she hesitated, not wanting to leave the pillar. Then a small salty breeze caught her neck, sending goose pimples across the surface of her skin. "When?"

"Whenever you want." He plucked the child from the dock and kissed her forehead, carrying her back across the now chilly dock.

----

Eliza Fields crossed the parking lot with smart confidence. She smirked to herself as she approached Phoebe's vehicle, passing the witch a snotty look. "I'm sure you'll show me a good time," she snickered. "My Aunt Elise did say you are her best employee."

Phoebe muttered something incoherent as she slid into the driver's seat and clicked the button, unlocking the passenger door.

"Well aren't you going to say anything?" Eliza grinned as she slipped the seatbelt around her large bust. "Aunt Elise said you're a social butterfly."

_She's throwing "Aunt Elise" around on purpose_, Phoebe fumed. The Charmed One stuck the key into the ignition and turned, her eyes blazing as she tried to block out Eliza's voice. Apparently Eliza was only in San Francisco for three days, staying with Elise, and Elise had decided that Phoebe would be the best to show her around the city. In fact, the head of The Bay Mirror had even set up photo shoots for Phoebe and Eliza to co-star in.Why, was beyond the psychic. All she was seeing right now was red. Blood red.

"Mrs. Halliwell?"

"You know what!" Phoebe screamed, slamming on the break as she came to a stop sign. "From now until the twelve o' clock strokes, you will elicit only croaks!"

A green flare surrounded the redhead, and her skin began to turn a sickly shade of brown-green. A series of large, warty pimples began to grow on the woman's skin and her eyes morphed into bubble-like blackish dots and then she began to shrink, until she was so small that her black hat dropped to the seat.

Phoebe gulped. She hadn't meant to. But her rage had been so great. She reached out a shaky hand and grabbed the rim of the black hat. She held her breath and quickly pulled the hat up, revealing a fist sized brownish-green, warty toad in her passenger's seat. "Uh oh..."

----

"Piper?" Leo called through a haze of blue lights. "Piper!" He marched up the stairs with his youngest daughter on his hip. "Piper!" Although he could only make out muffled noises, he could sense his wife and youngest sister-in-law within the attic, where he quickly sprinted.

"Where have you been?" Piper bellowed, upon her husband's entrance. She placed her hands squarely on her hips, glowering in his direction.

"With The Elders."

"And where was Prissy?"

"With me," the blonde hesitated.

"Good Goddess," Piper groaned as she snatched the Child Of Light from her husband. "Why?"

"They called me."

"Yeah and I couldn't very well leave her here alone!"

"Andy-" Piper stopped herself, knowing that Andy was till in no condition to even watch his own daughter. She shook her head. "What did They want?"

"It's a demon."

"A shadowy one?" The pregnant witch perked up, looking hopeful.

"How'd you know?"

Paige patted her massive bulge. "Continue."

Leo trotted over to the Book and flipped it open, shifting the pages until he came to a desired one. He patted the page, warily looking back to the sisters. "Ohanzee."

"Ohanzee? What kinda name is that?"

"It's Native American, meaning 'shadow.' The Native Americans named this demon long ago, when he appeared and began attacking witches that came over on the ships from England."

"You mean, like Melinda Warren's time period?"

"Right."

"And what happened to him?"

"Ohanzee killed an English witch who had married the chief of a Native American tribe. He also killed their daughter. The grieving chief banished Ohanzee to purgatory. Unfortunately when The Source came to power-"

"The one who was just vanquished?"

"Right. When he came to power, he freed Ohanzee from purgatory and sent him after the Warren line. In fact, he sent him after Brianna."

Piper's eyes seemed to pop. "Brianna? As in, the same Brianna who disgraced the Lord of War?"

"The same one. She couldn't defeat him." The whitelighter pointed to the Book. "It's all right here. It seemed as though everything she tried he was immune to. But just before her death, she figured out a way to wound him and hurt him so badly that he retreated back to the Underworld...But not before killing Brianna. She never got a chance to write down how to wound him in the Book."

"And now he's back?"

Leo nodded. "And killing."

"So why don't we just summon this Brianna and ask her how to take him down?" Paige asked, her eyes moving between Leo and Piper.

"Because," Leo's voice dropped dangerously low, "Brianna's soul was stolen from the afterlife just about an hour ago."

**_TO BE CONTINUED..._**


	14. All Souled Out

A/N: I have to warn you that updates might be more off in the coming weeks, as I have a whole shit load of work to makeup and finish, as well as a huge English research paper (and I have to fix this problem at school concerning next year's classes and a competency that THEY LOST)! But I do have a few future chapters written out that I've very excited about. ;) 

_**Change Happens**_

_**Chapter 14: All Souled Out**_

"How in the world did they do that?" Piper blistered. 

"It was some very powerful dark magic." 

"But how, Leo? I mean, if that's possible, why don't they steal more powerful souls more often?" 

"You mean like Prue or Melinda Warren?" 

"Mhmm." 

"Like I said, it's powerful magic. But it's got to be more powerful thanthe soul they're summoning, and it would take some kind of super demonic magic to steal souls as powerful as Melinda Warren's." 

"But isn't the afterlife Up There?" Piper asked, pacing the room with her arms folded. "Isn't that blocked off from demons and darklighters and warlocks?" 

"No. The Elders' dwellings are separate from the confines of the afterlife. There are safeguards Up There." 

Piper scratched her head as she seated herself on the sofa. "Okay. Uhm...so what do we do? How do we get Brianna's soul back?" 

"You mean, how do we even find it," Paige corrected. 

"Those bastards," Piper cursed. 

"Piper, little ears!" 

"Oh come on, like the fetus is gonna know what that means." 

"I wasn't talking about the fetus," Paige snorted. "I was talking about your daughter," she exclaimed, pointing towards Prissandra's play mat. 

Before the elder witch was able to retort, the front doors swung open and the psionic Charmed One ran in. She appeared frazzled as her heels clanked against the floor and a small plastic container swung from her hand. "Piper! Paige!" 

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Paige asked, waddling over to her sister. "And why aren't you at work?" 

"Well..." Phoebe looped her free arm with her baby sister and walked her back to the couch. "You should probably sit down." 

Piper quirked an eyebrow. "Phoebe?" 

"Heh. See, this woman stole my reserved parking spot today and she was a real bitch with her fancy clothes and fancy car and-" 

"Phoebe?" Paige crossed her arms and settled them over her stomach. 

"Well, it turned out that it was Elise's niece, who's staying here for three days. And anyway, she wanted me to show her around the city and go to this photo shoot with her." 

"And?" 

"And she was just being such a-" 

"Oh my Goddess!" Piper gasped, suddenly pointing to the container and putting two and two together. "That toad isn't Elise's niece, is it?" 

Phoebe gave a sheepish smile. 

"You turned her into a toad?" 

"Yeah..." 

Piper's brown eyes blazed. "Well thank you Phoebe! First you enact the flying on broomsticks and now you're turning innocents into toads!" 

"She was so not an innocent!" 

"So much for trying to escape the stereotype," the witchlighter muttered. 

"We so don't have time for this," Piper moaned. Hauling herself up from the couch, she launched into a brief explanation of the day's events and stressed the importance of the Shadow Demon's vanquish. 

"What about Eliza?" 

"You named the toad?" 

"She already had a name Paige," Phoebe replied with a 'duh' accent. 

"What can we do?" Piper asked, folding her arms in exasperation. 

"I was hoping that you'd know where that old terrarium is, that you had for your pet turtles when you were nine?" 

Piper closed her eyes, attempting to remember. "I thought Grams got rid of that years ago?" 

Phoebe snapped her fingers in frustration. "Curses!" 

"You used to have turtles?" Paige asked, her eyes blinking with curiosity. 

"Is that really an appropriate question at the moment?" Piper spat. 

Paige turned away, slightly hurt. "I just wanted to know," she said a little too quietly. "I had a pair of pet turtles when I was eight." 

Piper's face softened. "Paige, I'm sorry-" 

"No, it's fine. You're right. Totally inappropriate." She shifted her weight, looking to the psychic witch. "I might still have that terrarium in storage, though." 

"Really?" 

Paige nodded. "Let me go check. I'll be back in ten." Without so much as looking towards Piper, she dissolved into orbs that ascended to the ceiling and vanished. 

---- 

As Persia slipped out of her Chem class, she felt a rough hand on her shoulder, and was pulled to the side. "What the-" 

"We need to talk." 

"Tyler," she hissed, "I thought we've been through this once today?" 

"I don't give up easily." 

"I'll use my powers if I have to," she threatened. 

"And I came prepared," Tyler countered, flashing her his plastic gloved hands. "And I don't think you want to risk exposing energy bolts in the middle of a populated school, do you?" 

Persia stared, rage building in her system. Unfortunately she didn't have much of a choice. "Fine. You've got lunch and that's it." 

"Thank you." The Firestarter exhaled a breath of relief. "Come with me," he said, wrapping his plastic gloved hand around her wrist and pulling her down the hall. 

---- 

"The court will adjourn for lunch and reconvene at two o' clock." Judge Windsor banged his gavel against its stand and stood, the court following suit, and then slipped off into his quarters. 

Cole ran his hands down the flaps of his suit, turning smugly to the defense and giving them a sneer. He was winning over the jurors and everyone could see it. The half mortal slipped to his desk and placed his palms on the edge of his black leather briefcase, pressing it firmly closed and activating the turn locks. He slid his right hand into the handle, removing the case from the table, and walked passed the defense table. "Have a nice lunch," he smirked. 

"Oh, we will," the defense attorney sneered under his breath. He tilted his head to the floor. "Now." 

The two-dimensional shadow's head appeared to nod backwards and head off following Cole's direction, before fading into the floor. 

---- 

Cole swung open the door to silver convertible, tossing his briefcase into the passenger. As he reached into his pocket to retrieve his keys, he missed the black shadow looming on the ground just a few feet away from his own. 

The burly shadow stood motionless for a moment, then his hand extended and shadowy swirls began to pulsate above his dark palm. Then a two-dimensional, black sphere began to take shape and within a split second, the spherical shadow was flying across the asphalt towards the shadow of Cole's chest. 

Suddenly Cole staggered back into his driver's seat, grasping his chest in pain. His dark eyes darted around the parking lot, searching desperately for the source of his wound. Then, from the corner of his eye, he spotted a dark shimmer. Grabbing the handle of his briefcase, his body began to ripple, before he completely shimmered away. 

---- 

Eliza stared at the large face pressed against her new glass terrarium. A large greenish-brown skin bubble expanded against her throat and then instantly deflated, allowing her to let out a skin prickling croak. 

Phoebe peeled her face away from the glass, grumbling silently to herself as she turned to her baby sister. "Thanks, Paige. This helps a ton." 

Paige crossed her arms. "Sure, no problem." She cocked her head to the left. "So, how long exactly does this spell last?" 

Avoiding Paige's brown gaze, Phoebe began to absently twiddle her thumbs. "Until midnight.." 

"Midnight?" The half whitelighter tossed her arms into the air. "Man, and I thought my big boobs thing was bad!" 

"Yeah. It tops the horny tom cat thing too." 

Paige turned her attention to her sister, tapping her foot as she waited for an explanation. 

"Another story for another day," the psychic groaned, waving off the story. "Anyway, we need to focus on this Brianna thing." 

The witchlighter laced her fingers together and leaned her chin against them. "Maybe we could try using a spell to expand my powers and having me call for her soul?" 

"It won't work," the psychic shook her head. "You can't use your powers on blood family, remember? That includes their souls." 

The whitelighter snapped her fingers in frustration. "Crap, I forgot about that little limitation." 

"I don't think you'll be using your powers at all!" 

Paige and Phoebe's heads spun around, just as a glowing orange-red fireball came hurling towards Phoebe. 

Phoebe could feel her heart jump, as her physical body took to the air and she glided over the fireball. "Paige! The terrarium!" 

Paige's arm arched out, her hand twisting into a claw, and she jerked it clockwise. "Toad!" A cloud of orbs enveloped the warty toad and it disappeared from the glass encasement, just as the fireball collided with the glass and forced it to shatter in on itself. 

"Bastard!" Phoebe fumed as her feet connected with the floor. "That was important, you asshole!" She held her fists about a foot from her body in a fighting stance, injecting one straight into the face of the deformed demon. Then her body flung back into a levitating backflip, and she landed her spiked heels directly into the demon's chest, sending him flying across the attic. 

Paige thrust out her arms and shoved them across each other, making an 'x' with her arms. "Neck!" 

"Ahhg!" The demon's neck glowed a sky blue and small orbs danced just above his shoulders, then a resounding crack broke through the attic as his neck twisted so far that it broke. His eyelids drooped shut and his body was immediately engulfed in a dark red, fiery glow as he exploded, leaving nothing but a scorch mark on the wall. 

At that moment, Piper rushed into the room. Her eyes were frantic as she looked at the shattered terrarium, which beelined across the room to the scorch mark. "What the hell happened here?" 

"Demon." The remaining Charmed Ones deadpanned. 

Atop a larger sheet of the glass from the broken terrarium, a new cloud of orbs deposited the amphibian Eliza, who let out another disinterested croak. 

In the center of the three sisters, the air began to ripple and Cole appeared. His hand was over a smoking wound on his chest, covered somewhat by red blood. "Phoebe," he breathed. "Help me!" 

**_TO BE CONTINUED..._**


	15. The Pagans' Court

A/N: Have any of you ever watched Judge Marilyn Millian on, "The People's Court"? She is SO much better than all of those other court shows! And I love her red hair. It makes her stand out. And I love when she yells at people. lol I so enjoy her, and only her, court show. In a quick note to a question I received, Piper only referred to (and I'll use the term Ross coined) the Prutus as "the fetus" to make a point that the unborn baby couldn't understand what she was saying. Paige replied to that with "the fetus," because she was making a distinction between Prissandra and the unborn baby.

_**Change Happens**_

_**Chapter 15: The Pagans' Court**_

"Cole!"

Phoebe dropped to her knees, wrapping her arms around her husband and placing a comforting hand over his wound. "It's okay, it's fine. We'll get this cleaned up in no time." She took his arm and draped it around her shoulders. "Come on, we need to get you to the sofa."

She hauled him up, taking him to the ancient sofa that used to belong to one of Warren ancestors by the name of Pearl. Although it'd taken countless fireballs, energy balls, and demonic beatings in its time, it had been partially refurbished and was still suitable for sitting. Or, in Cole's case, laying.

"Cole, what happened?" Piper asked, stalking over to the sofa. "How did this happen? Was it another bounty hunter?"

The demon-mortal shook his head. "No," he whispered hoarsely. "It was Ohanzee."

"Ohanzee?" Piper's sugar brown hair flailed, as she whipped her head towards her sisters. "As in, our Ohanzee?"

"You know him?" Cole's voice was a mixture of pain and surprise.

"Cole," Phoebe pressed, "what do you know about him?"

"He," the demon let out a strained cough, "was one of The Source's most powerful assassins. At least until-"

"Brianna."

"Yeah." Cole winced. "How'd you know?"

"Leo filled us in." Piper walked over to the Book of Shadows and swiveled the stand to face her demonic brother-in-law. "It's also in the Book." She chewed her lower lip for a moment, venturing with, "You wouldn't happen to know how she hurt him, would you?"

Cole shook his head, fighting off the pain of his wound. "Only he and The Source knew...Why don't just summon Brianna herself?"

The Charmed Ones exchanged looks, before explaining their current situation.

Cole scrunched his eyes, shaking his head. "There are only a handful of demons powerful enough and versed in that kind of magic."

Phoebe drew her index finger across the side of her husband's face. "Let me go get the first aid kit. I'll be right back and once we have you fixed up, we'll need you to make a list of those demons for us." Before he could say anything, she was dashing out of the attic.

----

The electrokinetic crossed her arms as Tyler ushered her through the doorway of a popular fast food restaurant. "You want to have an important conversation with me in the middle of Kentucky Fried Chicken, during the busiest hour of the day?"

"It was closest place," Tyler groaned. He led the witch up to the counter. "Pick out anything, it's my treat."

Again, the witch groaned. _I should make him eat his words_, she thought quietly. "I'll have two Snackers," she directed to the woman behind the counter.

"And I want the kid's meal."

"The kid's meal?" The brunette asked incredulously.

Tyler's shoulders slumped back. "What? I like them, okay?"

The woman rung up the order with only a mild look of amusement. However, as she studied the blonde more, her brows rocketed upwards and she looked rather confused.

"What's her problem?" Tyler whispered into Persia's ear, as he reached for the wallet in his back pocket. It was at that point that he noticed several other stares coming his way, and he cocked his brow in confusion.

"I think," Persia snickered, "that those are your problem."

"Wh-" Tyler stopped mid sentence, gazing down at his electric blue rubber gloved hands. "Oh," he smiled meekly at the gathering crowd. "D-dare," he stuttered. "My good ol' friend here got me in a game of truth or dare," he explained, slipping an arm around Persia's shoulders.

Persia snagged the boy's wrist and peeled his arm from her shoulders, flashing a fake smile around. "And truth be told, I'd rather not have your hand there right now. And if you want to have children later on in life, I suggest you take my advice."

"Heh," Tyler murmured. "So funny." He turned his red cheeks away from the amused looks and plucked a ten from his wallet, sliding it across the counter. After accepting his change and stuffing the wallet back into his pocket, he pried the gloves from his hands and stuffed them haphazardly into his blue jean pockets, leaving only a few rubbery fingers to pop out.

----

"Ahh," Cole gritted his teeth as peroxide sparklets sizzled white against his spherical wound.

"I can't believe what I'm seeing," Paige quipped. "The mighty Balthezor is moaning over a little peroxide."

"Paige!" The psychic growled, dabbing at her husband's wound with a cotton swab.

The pregnant witch seized the moment to roll her chestnut eyes, before turning back to the Book. She raised her hands in a Piper-like fashion and then flexed her white fingers. The Book of Shadows exploded into a flurry of orbs, before reconstituting to a page about one of the demons Cole had just listed. She drew her finger down the page. "'Cerces, a high level spiritual demon with the ability to summon ancient powers.'"

"Cerces is a real bitch," Cole sneered. "I dealt with her back in nineteen-twenty and she tried to incinerate me!"

"I'm liking her more already."

Piper turned a powerful gaze towards her baby sister. "Paige," she growled, "can we get on with this without the chit chat?"

Paige looked down to the Book and flipped several pages before stopping again. "'Heracio, the demon with the ability to travel freely through the ghostly and physical planes, while still having access to all of his powers.'" She wrinkled her nose. "Doesn't that name remind you of that Jack In The Box commercial with Jack's pilgrim ancestor?"

The timer rubbed her head. "So does 'CSI: Miami,' but we really don't have time to discuss that." Pressing on, she turned to her demonic brother-in-law. "Cole, are you sure you don't remember anything else about Ohanzee that might be useful?"

The half demon rubbed his head, trying to think. "Actually, he worked with me for a short time.."

"He worked with you and you didn't tell us this?" Paige fumed.

"It was a long time ago," Cole sneered. "Long before you came along," he added vehemently.

Phoebe shot a glare at her younger sister, before patting Cole's arm and urging him on. "Well tell us now."

_**----Flashback----**_

_"Justice must be served, right?"_

_"Tell me about it."_

_At that moment, Leo walked into the foyer, spotting Phoebe and Cole. "Phoebe, everything okay? I was starting to get worried. Hey."_

_Nervously, Phoebe introduced the two men. "Um, Cole, Leo. Leo, Cole."_

_"Nice to meet you," the whitelighter greeted. He shook the ADA's hand and some of his whitelighter dust rubbed off on Cole._

_"Pleasure."_

_"Sorry to, uh-"_

_"No, no, I was just leaving. I really need to take care of some business," the half demon interjected._

_Leo and Phoebe walked outside. _

_Cole walked down the stairs. He put his suitcase down and grabbed a handkerchief out of this jacket pocket, wiping off his hand. "Whitelighters always were messy."Turning to his shadow, hecommanded,"Report this." _

_His shadow obediently floated down the stairs anddisappeared down a drain._

_**----Flashback----**_

"It was shortly after we met," he looked to Phoebe. "The Source had assigned him to help me in my quest to kill you. He reported everything to The Source for me, so as to not arouse suspicion."

"If Ohanzee was so powerful, why did he have him as your assistant?"

"He was still reeling from Brianna's near vanquish of him," Cole explained. "So I guess you could say that The Source was just getting him warmed up."

"She must have hurt him pretty bad if his wounds lasted decades!"

Piper nodded.

Suddenly, Cole placed his fingers to the bridge of his nose. "Wait a minute-"

"What?"

"I wonder if Ohanzee could be helping the defense?"

"What?"

"During the beginning of my ADA cover, Ohanzee sometimes helped me to prosecute my cases. Take out critical witnesses or-"

"And you said you got attacked outside the courthouse?"

"Exactly." Cole ran a hand through his short, black hair. "What if the defense is more than just the defense?"

"Maybe Piper and I should go down there with you, and I could try to get a premonition?"

"Yeah," Piper agreed. "I'll just freeze the room." She looked to Paige. "Are you okay with that?"

"Yeah, I guess." She frowned, thinking that it would be better for her to go, as she and Piper had more firepower together. Unfortunately she knew that her sisters would fire back with the fact that she was pregnant, and she shouldn't be put in harm's way if it could be avoided.

"Something wrong?" Phoebe inquired.

The whitewitch quickly shook her head, allowing her dark curls to fall around her pale face. "Nope. Just be careful."

"We will," Phoebe promised. She wrapped her arms around her husband, helping the half demon to his feet. "Are you sure you'll be okay to shimmer us there?"

"I'm fine," he promised. Cole grabbed the new dress shirt Phoebe had brought for him and slid it over his muscular, tanned upper body, concealing his bandages. He gave a small groan as he proceeded to slid on his suit jacket. "Okay."

Phoebe wrapped her arms around him protectively and held out an awaiting hand for her older sister to take. "C'mon Piper, time's a wasting."

Piper slid her slender hand into Phoebe's, giving Paige a nod before she dissolved into shimmers and disappeared.

Paige flicked her gaze to Prissy, who was playing with a pair of Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls in the corner of the attic. "Guess it's just you and me now, kid."

----

Stray brown hairs ruffled ticklishly around Phoebe's face, as a cool breeze swept past them just moments after they'd materialized. The psionic twirled the stray strands around her index finger and pushed them back behind her ear, before walking into the courthouse with her husband. She walked in silence, as Cole led them to the first set of wooden double doors.

"Shit!"

"What?" Piper's hands flexed instinctively.

"I forgot my briefcase. I need it for the case."

"If there's going to be a case," Piper added quietly. She looked around, seeing a few stray people sauntering down the halls. Freezing the hall, she nodded to Cole. "Hurry back."

"Will do. Thanks, Piper." He shimmered out, leaving Piper and Phoebe alone.

Piper flexed her fingers again, unfreezing the hall. "So, what now? Should we go in without him?"

"I guess." She waved to her sister. "Why don't you open the door? That way, in case we encounter anything demonic, I can blast?"

"Good idea." Phoebe placed her hands firmly on the doors and swung them open.

Piper's hands jerked out to freeze, but nothing appeared to be amiss. In fact, she noted, the room appeared to be empty. "Hurry, hurry, hurry!" She hissed, sneaking it and closing the doors behind them. "Start touching stuff."

"Where do I start?"

"Uhm..." Piper walked down the center isle and passed through the swinging gate, motioning for Phoebe to follow. "Start with the defense table?"

"Oh-okay." Phoebe skittered down the isle and through the gate, landing her hands directly on the table. She looked sadly at Piper, shaking her head. "Nothing." She moved them around, touching the chairs and proceeded to shake her head.

"Maybe he really is working alone?"

Phoebe frowned. "It's possible, I guess. But it just seems to coincidental, you know? And nothing in our lives is ever 'just coincidence.'" She moved across the room and into the jury booth, sliding her hands across the seats as she went. "Nada." She crossed to the witness seat and touched it. "Nothin'."

"Cole's table?"

"Why would I pick up a premonition from his table? He hasn't done anything."

"You never know. Someone could've planted something."

"Right." Phoebe slid her hands across the smooth wood and then touched the chair. "Nope."

Piper ran a hand through her hair, absently. She she shrieked, raising her hands.

"Piper, no!" Phoebe hissed, tackling her sister before she had a chance to blast. "It's just Cole," she added as her husband shimmered in.

"Sorry," Piper blushed guiltily.

Cole stared, not sure if he should be amused or relieved. "Did you find anything?" He asked finally.

The twoCharmed Ones shook their heads sadly.

"Have you tried the judge's bench?"

"The judge? Would he really be working for demons?"

"The Underworld has a long history of employing demons in places of power in the mortal world," Cole explained. "Judge Windsor wouldn't be the first demonic judge. Not by a long shot."

"Oh, well, okay then." Phoebe staggered to her feet, pulling her sister up with her. She moved around the witness stand, passing by the defense table, and made a sharp right, and then left. She walked up to the stand and plopped down in the chair, feeling no psychic jolt.

"Anything?" The demon asked hopefully.

"Unless having a really padded seat is demonically incriminating, I'd say this guy is clean."

"What are you doing in here?"

Phoebe's head whirled around to see a cloaked Judge Windsor, his face burning crimson, staring at her from the slightly cracked door of the Judge's quarters. "Uh-uh, Piper!"

"I'll have you arr-" The judge stopped mid sentence, frozen in place by Piper's ability to stop time.

"Shit!" Piper cursed, waving Phoebe down from the seat. "Hurry, we've got to get out of here!"

"Wait!" Cole pointed to the open door. "We should check his quarters, just in case."

"But-"

"We can't take any chances, Piper."

"He's right."

Piper heaved a sigh, before running up the ramp and motioning for Phoebe and Cole to follow. "Hurry!" She tapped slightly on the door, pushing it open so that she could sneak past Judge Windsor, without knocking him from the freeze. "Don't touch him."

Obediently, Cole and Phoebe snuck past the frozen judge.

"Okay, Pheebs. Work your magic."

Phoebe moved stealthly around the room, touching various objects including the judge's desk, filing cabinets, chair, computer, and papers. "Zip," she said, turning to the other parties regretfully.

Piper crossed her arms. "Great! We snuck into a courtroom and got caught by its judge for nothing!"

Suddenly Phoebe gasped, catching the attention of Cole and Piper.

Moving to her, Cole whispered, "What is it?"

"Cole, do you know what this is?"

Cole laid his hand on a paper that Phoebe was holding up. "It's a sworn testimony by one of the witnesses for the defense."

Phoebe waved the paper at her husband angrily. "Well this so called witness isn't even alive anymore!"

"What?"

"I just saw a shadow kill this witness and then another demon morphed into her."

"Looks like the defense isn't so clean after all," Piper sneered.

"But what are we going to do about him?" Cole asked, indicating the judge.

"This." Piper looked to the ceiling. "Leo!"

Moments later the small room was bathed in a blue glow and Leo walked from a hazy cloud of blue orbs. "Honey, what's wrong?"

"I need your memory dust."

"What? Why?"

"Just trust me."

Leo reached into his back pocket and pulled out a small, tan satchel. "Here."

"Thanks."

Piper reached into the satchel, pulling out a small pinch of white dust and walked over to the judge. She sprinkled it lightly over the top of the man's head, before handing it back to Leo.

"Is that a judge?" His pastel eyes were large. "Do you know how dangerous dusting a judge is?"

"It's more dangerous if we get caught and exposed, Leo." Piper attempted to sooth the situation with a small peck on the lips. "Anyway, we've got work to do. Thanks for stopping by." She waved her hand. "You can get back to whatever you were doing."

"Piper-"

"By, honey!"

Leo frowned, orbing out with a small scowl.

"Okay, let's get going before this guy unfreezes." She grabbed Phoebe's hand.

"You ready?"

"Yeah," Cole said, wrapping his arms around his wife and shimmering the three of them out.

Moments later the judge resumed motion, staring confusedly at the empty courtroom. He turned around to see his door more than ajar and wondered silently why he was staring aimlessly at an empty courtroom. "Maybe my wife's right?" He mused, turning to back to his quarters. "Maybe I should consider retirement?" With that, he shut the door behind him.

Across the room, a black shadow loomed in the corner. Silently, he'd witnessed all that had happened, and now he dissolved into the floor.

_**TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	16. To Call A Lost Warren

A/N: I have a few twists and turns coming up in this charming road, so please be patient. But please trust me; I am listening to your requests and I have not forgotten Prue, Andy, or Pandora. And as far as the Prutus' name goes, only Paige knows what she saw from the premonition (she hasn't shared that information with anyone else). As far as she knows, that is the future. But then again, this IS _Charmed_. wink BTW, special thanks to Ross who let me use his "Reverse To Call A Lost Witch" spell. 

_**Change Happens**_

_**Chapter 16: To Call A Lost Warren**_

The clank of the metal chain against the wall tinkered through the attic, as the amethyst scrying crystal embedded itself into the wall. Paige threw up her hands in exasperation. "Abso-freakin'-lutely nothing!" 

"Paige!" Piper growled, yanking the small stone from the hole in the wall. 

Paige narrowed her dark brown eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. "Hormones." 

Phoebe placed her hands to the sides of her head. 

"What's wrong with you?" The elder witch glowered. 

"You two! You're driving me crazy with your tension!" 

"I thought you had enough control over your empathy to block us out by now?" 

Phoebe frowned, flipping her head away so she wouldn't have to look Piper in the face. 

"Phoebe?" The timer moved closer, laying a hand on her little sister's shoulder. "Pheebs," she softened, "what's wrong?" 

"I'd been having some trouble with my empathy," the psychic admitted quietly. 

"What?" 

Phoebe shrugged and her shoulders slumped. "Ever since," she swallowed the lump in her throat, "ever since Prue d-d..." 

"And you didn't tell me?" 

"You were taking it the hardest," Phoebe admitted. "You and Andy, that is. I didn't want to worry you." She gently massaged her temples with her index fingers. "Besides, it gets a little better as the days go by. It's just that when everything gets really stressful-" 

"Oh, Phoebe," Piper sighed, wrapping her arms around her younger sister. "I'm so sorry!" 

Paige stood to the back of the scene, the familiar feeling of being left out starting to take over. She hadn't felt it since before Prue had returned and, unfortunately, it felt just as bad as it had then. 

"Paige?" 

Paige shook her head, glancing Phoebe straight in the eyes. She let out a small gasp of surprise, to see Phoebe's eyes red and tearing. "Phoebe, what's wrong now?" 

The psychic rubbed her wet eyes. "I think you know." 

The witchlighter shook her head, bewildered. 

Phoebe let out a labored breath and spread her arms out, motioning for Paige to join her and Piper. "Paigey," she moaned, "I had no idea, I swear." 

Piper stood motionless, staring between her two sisters. Not being empathic or telepathic, she had no idea what Phoebe was talking about. "Phoebe? P-Paige?" 

Phoebe sniffled in reply. "She's hurting too, Piper." Her bottom lip trembled as she spoke. "She feels left out. Really," she said stressing the word, "left out." 

Piper's gaze softened as she looked to her pregnant sister. "Is that true, Paige?" 

Paige fought back the tears. She wanted to run right into their arms, but another part of her wanted them to feel her pain too. _But_, she realized, _I'm already doing that to Phoebe._ Her bottom lip quivered ever so gently and without a word, she gave into a cloud of orbs. 

---- 

"What're you doing?" The Firestarter inquired, as he dipped a piece of his chicken into some burgundy tinged sauce. 

"Inspecting my food," Perisa replied in monotone. 

"Why?" 

"I've heard that people like to spit in the food." 

"They do." Tyler shrugged, taking a sip of his soda. "I had a friend who did it to some bitchy woman who held up the drive through and backed it all the way out to the street. She was sick too, had a nasty cough." He smirked, noticing the electric's pale face. "Three of them spit in the old wench's coleslaw." 

Persia placed her hand to her pale lips, her skin fading to an almost greenish tinge. "Oh Goddess!" She shoved away her uneaten snackers and clutched her stomach in revulsion. 

"You aren't going to eat them?" The male witch asked rhetorically. He rolled his eyes, grabbing the snackers and stuffed one into his mouth. 

"You're sick!" 

The Firestarter mumbled something inaudible, thanks to his mouthful. Only moments later he washed it down with a swig of Sprite, and then his expression turned serious. He laced his fingers together and leaned across the table, locking his eyes with the Child Of Light. "Persia, I don't like the way things were left hanging between us. I want to mend them. Your friendship means a lot to me and I want to preserve that." He twisted his head to the side, trying to read her face. "Do you understand that?" The teenager ran a hand through his thick, blonde hair. "What can I do to make it up to you?" 

---- 

Dwight Alfred spread his fingers lazily across his silver suit, as he reached for the golden door handle of the courtroom. 

"Mr. Alfred," Cole sneered. 

Dwight's steely eyes seemed to glaze over, as he whirled around at the ominous voice of the half demon. "Mr. Turner," he glowered, "how nice to see you." 

Cole's cold blue eyes flickered, as he crossed swiftly to Dwight's side. "And you'll be seeing a lot more of me," he growled. "I'm not that easy to take out." 

Dwight stared for a moment, before regaining his composure and swinging open the door. "I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about, Mr. Turner. But if you'd like to talk to me, then please go to my lawyers." With that, he marched down the isle towards the defense table, where his party waited for him. 

Cole passed a quick glare towards the demonic defense, before taking his own seat across from them. 

"All rise for the honorable Judge Windsor!" 

The courtroom pulled to their feet as the old judge slunk out of his quarters and took his seat at the head of the room. The man grabbed his gavel and banged it roughly against its base. "Mr. Moore, please carry on." He motioned towards the defense table and waited patiently for the trial to continue. 

---- 

The cotton ball clouds stood brightly against the blue of the sky, casting irregular shapes unto the roof of a rather tall building. A large outline marked the top of the building, made specifically for helicopters to see from high in the air. Within the center of the marking, a funnel of orbs exploded from the ground, whirring around until they left only the whitelighter-witch hybrid in their wake. 

Blobs of ebony mascara carved rivers down the sides of her pale cheeks, and making it appear as though she had two black eyes. The whitewitch dropped to her knees, holding her pregnant belly as she did so. _Why did it have to be Prue?_ She couldn't believe how unfair it was. 

Although she loved all of her family, Prue had been the one to really make her feel at home in the Manor. Piper had been far too close to Prue to really accept her, until after Prue had come back. Phoebe had been almost overly eager. But Prue had wanted to get to know her. To protect her, care for her, and be the big sister that she was. Now that she was gone, Paige was feeling all of the emotions that she'd had post discovering her sisters. Unfortunately this time she couldn't hide them from Phoebe, and that made her nauseous. She didn't want to, or she couldn't, express her feelings with Piper and Phoebe. 

Paige placed her hands to her dripping face, hiding her red eyes as her body wracked with sobs. She didn't notice the unnatural movement of a cloud's shadow behind her. It wasn't until a sharp pain attacked her stomach did she feel it. The life within her womb, her niece's life, fading quickly. Pulling her hands back, she gasped at the bloody gash on her bulging belly. "No!" Again, she felt another knife rip through her right shoulder, and she toppled to the side. That's when she saw it. 

The shadow was monstrous. It looked vaguely like a silhouette that Balthezar might cast. There was no face, no intricate detail, just a looming shadow with dark meaty arms and a muscular physique. The outline of a black athame rested tightly in the clenched form of the shadow's hand, and he moved with stealth towards Paige. 

The witch scrambled back, waving her blood soaked hand in a ragged fashion. Nothing was happening. 

Ohanzee dove. Surprisingly, however, it was not at the witch herself. He dove at the whitelighter's wavering shadow, plunging hit silhouetted athame into her chest, and twisting it violently. 

Crimson gushed between her breasts, soaking her shirt and making it cling to her pale skin. She dropped backwards, hitting her head against the cement as both her life and the life the of unborn Akashic Heiress faded from existence. 

---- 

Phoebe gasped. The sheer amount of energy in her mind yanked her to her knees as past images filled her mind's eye, followed by the most gruesome of scenes. She grabbed her head in pain, as tears welled in her eyes. "Paige!" 

_**----Premonition----**_

_A moving tornado materializes out of thin air, heading straight for Paige and Shane. Appearing with murder in his eyes, the massive blue-gray demon forms a concussive blast and hurls it towards the pair of young lovers._

_Opening her eyes, Paige sees the blast heading towards them as she looks over Shane's shoulder. "Shane!"_

_The blast knocks Shane off his feet, smacking him into unconsciousness._

_Terrified, the youngest Halliwell emitted a scream of pure terror. Then she watches as another blast heads for her. Her pale hands fly to her face in fight, and her body is engulfed in bright orbs as the blast rockets through them, hitting the wall behind where she'd just been. A moment later the orbs reconstitute, and she stares in pure shock, not realizing how or what just happened. Quickly, she turns on her heel and heads across the room, making a beeline for the access tower door._

_----_

_Blood. Thick, crimson masses covered the partially shaded ground as the vital fluid left Paige's body. Her eyes were frozen open, staring at the cloud dotted sky as her life slowly drained away. The witch's chest rose and fell with pain, as she fought for her life. Then all at once, it stopped. They were both gone, but the blood continued to pool beneath the whitewitch's body._

_**----Premonition----**_

"Phoebe!" Piper secured her arms around her little sister, holding her tightly as Phoebe's fragile frame jerked with pain. "What did you see?" Her lips trembled. "What happened to Paige?" 

"The helipad," the psychic manage to gasp through sobs. "The helipad. H-hurry!" 

Piper dove to the Book of Shadows, violently flipping through its pages. "Phoebe I-" Suddenly a magical wind swirled around the standing brunette, flipping the pages open in a rapid fashion. Piper's hair flitted around her face, before coming to a stop in time with the pages. She stared at the same spell she'd inadvertently used to find Paige in the first place. 

"Phoebe, I want you to use the To Call A Lost Witch Spell to get Pearl. I'll be right back!" She took a quick, cleansing breath and then quickly reworded the spell in her mind. "Powers of the witches' rise, course unseen across the skies, to the ones we seek take us near, their faces now shall be made clear!" A whipping swirl of white lights surrounded her, and she was gone. 

---- 

Swirling lights surrounded Piper, as she appeared in a bloody puddle next to her baby sister. A gasp caught her throat, as she wrapped her arms around Paige's near lifeless form, and pulled her into her arms. "Oh no, no, no. Paige, you have to pull through for me." Tears spilled from her brown eyes, and then out of the corner of her vision, she saw Ohanzee. She squinted and the cement erupted in a mighty explosion of cement, but the shadow kept coming. _He's veering off though._ Then, as she saw his shadowy arm raise, she ducked to the side as did her shadow. 

Ohanzee's arm slashed over the place where Piper's shadow had been, but nothing happened. His shadowy fingers balled in rage as he turned towards the witch's shadow again. He wanted all of the Warren witches dead, and he'd make sure it happened. Unfortunately as he raised his dark athame, he saw shadowy dots begin to cloud the witches' shadows. Turning his head, he could see the white lights dancing around Piper and Paige. Before he could enact another attack, their shadows and physical forms had been carried away. 

---- 

Pearl placed her hands over her mother's bloodied body. A warm golden glow washed over Paige's red stained skin. Barely above a whisper, the Blessed One silently hoped that she and her aunts weren't too late. "Please mom, please..." A small tear pricked her eye, and it dropped unnoticed to Paige's stomach. The small droplet burst into a golden wave, washing over Paige like a mini tsunami. The blood instantly vanished, and the wounds repaired themselves. When the glow faded, Pearl pounced on her mother. 

Paige gasped, trying to hug her daughter with definite difficulty. "Thanks, baby." 

"I'm so glad you're okay," Pearl sobbed. She buried her head into her mother's shoulder. 

Piper and Phoebe stood to the side, staring expectantly. Phoebe had told Piper what Paige had been feeling, and now neither of them knew how to remedy the situation. 

Craning her head, Paige caught her remaining sisters out of the corner of her eye. She ran a hand through her daughter's hair, whispering softly that she needed some time with her sisters. 

"Don't leave the Manor, okay?" 

Paige smiled weakly. "I won't." 

"Promise?" 

"I promise." 

Pearl wiped her eyes, before giving her mother a quick kiss on the cheek and silently leaving the attic. 

"Paige, I'm-" 

"No time," Paige murmured, orbing to the Book of Shadows. She stopped, staring for a moment at the page which had initially brought her to her sisters. She knew this had to be the page that had just saved her. Closing her eyes, she turned it. "I know who took Brianna." 

_**TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	17. While You Were Shimmering

A/N: Wow, only three people reviewed last chapter. I guess either everyone's really busy, FFN is eating reviews, or most people just really hated it. I'm feel kind of bad. I hope it wasn't the latter. 

_**Change Happens**_

_**Chapter 17: While You Were Shimmering**_

"Raynor?" Phoebe squinted her eyes, trying to remember why the name sounded so familiar. 

"Are you sure that's all you saw in your premonition?" 

Paige gave a brief shake of her head. Just after the attack to her abdomen, the unborn Prophetess Guardian's power of premonition had raced through her, activated by Ohanzee's shadow athame. She remembered the vision as clearly as if she'd been standing there herself. "Positive."She clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth, as her eyes scanned the page. "He's powerful, but we don't need the Power of Three to vanquish him. A simple explosion or something to that effect will do. I just don't understand why, if he's not so powerful, he was able to steal Brianna's soul." 

Piper teetered over to the Book and glanced at the page. "Maybe he had help that you didn't see?" 

"Does it say what his powers are?" The psychic asked. 

Piper shook her head. 

"Damn." 

Paigestaggered over to the ancient sofa, and plopped down. She gave a quiet sigh as she closed her eyes. 

"Paige?" 

"Whatever you have to say can wait, Piper. We've got bigger issues than this," she splayed out her fingers towards her sisters, "right now." 

"No." Phoebe stood near the attic door defiantly. "We have to work through this right now, Paige." 

Paige heaved herself off the sofa, glaring daggers at her older sister. "No, Phoebe, we don't. And I won't!" Wiping away her tears she added scornfully, "And there's nothing you can do about it." 

Piper's brown eyes blazed, and the witch marched over to the pedestal. Her shaky hands twitched as she began to flit through the pages, coming to a stop at one in particular. "'For those who want the truth revealed, opened hearts and secrets unsealed. From now until it's now again, after which the memory ends. Those who now are in this house, will hear the truth from other's mouths!'" 

"Piper!" Phoebe exploded, rushing to the stand. "I can't believe you cast the Truth Spell!" 

Piper turned quickly to her baby sister, locking eyes with the pregnant witch. "Why don't you want to talk with us about this?" 

Paige turned her head away, fighting the strength of Piper's spell. Finally, however, the spell took over and Paige wrenched her head back to Piper. "Because," she hissed, "you love Prue more than you love me! You always have! I was never even a part of this 'family' until Prue came back!" 

Piper staggered back into Phoebe's arms, aghast at Paige's words. "How could you think that?" She blurted out, startling even herself. "I've always loved you!" 

The youngest jumped to her feet, flinging her arms in the air. Orbs swarmed the attic as her rage and pain caused her powers to finally spiral out of control. "Liar!" A stream of orbs flew past her head, smacking through one of the stained glass windows. "'Half-breed,' that's all you thought of me as! And don't you lie to me Piper, I know it! I could see it in your eyes." 

_**----Flashback----**_

_"You have a magical power, you know."_

_The youngest Halliwell turned with curiosity, staring back at her elder sisters._

_Moving closer with Piper in tow, Phoebe added, "Mmm. At least, if you're really a Charmed One, you do. And the sooner you learn it, the sooner you'll be able to protect yourself."_

_"I have a power?"_

_Piper's lips parted. "According to the prophecy, the third sister has the power to move things with her mind. Like Prue could."_

_"How does it work?"_

_"You concentrate on an object, like that candle right there." The psychicpointed toone of the white church candles. "And then you just wave your arm at it." Phoebe then flicked her arm in a Prue-like fashion._

_Paige copied the maneuver, but nothing happened. Shelooked back to her half sisters._

_"Or, uh, you could squint your eyes. She used to squint her eyes," the timer suggested._

_The whitewitch looked to the candle, waving her hand and squinting her eyes, yet still nothing happened. She turned back to her sisters. "Well, maybe I'm not one of you after all if I can't even make that candle…" She raises her hand in the direction of the candle. Suddenly a spray of blue and white orbs surrounded it, transporting it from its stand to the half witch's outstretched hand. Nervously, she hands the candle to Phoebe. "Oh."_

_Phoebe looked to Piper with a curious expression etched into her face. "So perhaps the whitelighter in her makes it work differently?" She proceeded to blow out the candle and set it aside._

_"Half-breed," Piper whispered icily._

_**----Flashback----**_

"I was angry with you!" Piper hissed. "You-you were taking Prue's place. You were her substitute, a quick fix for my big sister! She had just died, and then suddenly we have a new sister so we can fix the Power of Three and keep saving the world! It wasn't fair!" There was a loud crack, as one of the support beams gave way, sending a shower of dust and wooden splinters down on the three sisters. 

"No!" Phoebe jumped between her sisters, spreading out her arms and keeping them literally an arm's length apart. "This isn't right! You shouldn't be fighting like this, you should be helping each other get through this!" She clasped her eyes shut. "Why can't you just see how painful it is for both of you?" 

Suddenly Phoebe's entire body began to emit a warm sea-foam green color. Unbeknownst to her, on her left Piper began to glow a dark magenta and to her right, Paige was enveloped by a pulsating violet. As Phoebe grew brighter, the light began to spiral from Piper and Paige to Phoebe's left and right hands, respectively. Then in a large burst, both colors spiraled through Phoebe's arms and smashed together in the center of her chest, before crossing sides and evicting the palms of her hands as glowing darts. The purple dart hitting Piper's heart, as the magenta hit Paige's simultaneously. The psychic gasped sharply, flying backwards and hitting the wall with such force that a small picture of Grams came shattering to the floor. 

Both Piper and Paige also went flying in opposite directions, landing on their asses with hard thuds. Fortunately their impacts weren't as powerful or nearly as painful as Phoebe's. In unison they blurted, "What the hell was that?" 

Phoebe rubbed her bruised back, and climbed to her full height. She stared at both of her sisters, who were no longer glowing. "I think," she breathed, "my empathy just advanced." 

---- 

Raynor stood smugly, bouncing a ball of white light against the palm of his hand. "The witches'll be here soon, searching for her. I can sense it." 

Ohanzee slithered across the rustic cave walls, floating in and out of the shadows of the flickering flame within its center. "They had better be." Ohanzee's voice was loud and ominous, seemingly coming from every point in the room all at once; almost like ultra advanced sound system equipment. "I didn't sacrifice one of my most powerful demons to bring you back, just to have you fail." 

Raynor bowed his head, chuckling softly. "And you'll be handsomely rewarded for your demon's sacrifice." He smiled malevolently at the soul in his palm. "I do good work." Licking his lips he added, "When I was young, I couldn't understand what was so great about having the ability to summon the souls of the dead." He snickered. "Such an insignificant power, I always thought. That was until I realized the kind of knowledge the dead had, and the lengths one would go to get back a loved one." He shook his hand, snapping his fingers as the ball that was Brianna's soul vanished. "Love is such a pitiful thing," he sneered. "It can make even the greatest of demons fall...Like Balthezar." 

---- 

Piper pulled her knees to her chest, shuddering under the warmth of a huge wool blanket. "Paige," she murmured, "I really didn't know." She shook her head, as Phoebe entered with a tray of chamomile tea. 

"Of course you didn't," the youngest spat. "You didn't even want me around." Her eyes watered as she took a white mug from her psionic sister. "Thanks, Phoebe." 

"No problem." Phoebe placed the tray on the table, and snagged the last cup for herself. She turned to sit next to Piper, more out of habit than anything, and at the last moment she shifted position and hesitantly took a seat next to Paige. "D-do you mind?" 

Paige sniffled, before taking a sip of her tea. "No." 

Phoebe smiled weakly, before climbing under the blue fleece blanket that she'd draped over Paige earlier. _This must be how Piper felt all the times she had to intervene when Prue and I were fighting._ She placed the hot mug to her lips and let the tranquil liquid slid into her mouth and down the back of her throat. "Tell us about you." 

Paige's face flickered in surprise. "What?" 

"Tell us about you," the empath repeated. 

"You already know about me, Phoebe." 

"No we don't. Not like we should, Paige. We lost all of those years growing up. We lost the memories we should of had. Like the fights over boyfriends and the all nighters with hot cocoa after a breakup and-" 

Paige's lips curved into a fine smirk. "You drank hot cocoa after breakups too?" 

Piper snickered quietly. "Grams said we weren't old enough to drink coffee yet." 

"I always thought about coming to you guys," the youngest blurted. 

"What?" 

"Yeah..." Paige took another drink from her mug. "After I finally got my job at South Bay, I started doing research on my birth parents. Mom's name came up, but it was such a long shot, her dying so young and all. I decided not to act on it." She licked her lips, choosing her next words carefully. "But then you opened up P3." 

Piper ran a hand through her hair, looking rather surprised. 

"I started going there a lot, and not just because it was the hottest club in town." She let a smile creep onto her face. "I felt sort of connected somehow, you know? But I always thought that it was a little silly. Every time I saw you three at the bar or something, I always entertained the thought of going up saying something. But it was just so insane-" 

"I wish you had." 

Paige's head whipped up at that. It had come from Piper, surprisingly enough. For a moment Paige thought that maybe Piper was lying just to make her feel better, but then she remember the Truth Spell. _The Truth Spell lasts twenty-four hours. Which means she has to be telling the truth._ Her heart gave an extra thump. "What would you have said?" 

"Impossible." Piper clenched her fist. "Paige," she tried again, "that's not what I meant. It's just that...it was so hard to believe that mom could even have another child-" 

Phoebe waved her hand, signally Piper to let her take over from there. "When Prue, Piper, and I went to the past to stop mom from making a pact with this warlock named Nicholas, I wasn't even born yet. In fact, mom was barely pregnant with me, and she didn't even know it. When Piper blurted it out to her, she told her and Prue that she couldn't even have anymore children. That it was physically impossible. Besides that, even with magic it's mind boggling to think that mom and Gramscould cover up an entire pregnancy." 

"I guess you really are more like mom than you thought, Piper." 

Piper creased her brow as she peered over the rim of her cup. "Hmm?" 

Paige shrugged. "I mean, not only do you both have the same power, but you both dig whitelighters and you both had two kids that you thought was impossible." She absently began to curl a strand of her hair around her index finger. "And then there's that thing about you looking more like her than any of us." 

Piper laughed. "Everyone would always say that Prue looked like her." 

Paige nearly burst out laughing. "Prue? Wow. Prue and I are the farthest from it. Not to offend her or anything," she glanced towards the ceiling, "but she's even more an anomaly than I am. At least I have the trademark brown eyes. Her's are blue!" 

"I bet she'd take that as a compliment." 

"Why?" 

"She always hated being compared to mom." 

"I don't understand..." 

"She was angry at mom for dying on her," Phoebe interjected. "I guess she resented her for making her mine and Piper's 'new mother.'" 

"She gave up her entire childhood for us." 

"She was only-" 

"Seven when mom died," Paige cut in. "I know. I talked to her about it once. She was there after it happened." 

Phoebe and Piper shared a confused look, before silently urging their baby sister to continue. Clearly they'd never heard the story before. 

Paige ran her index finger over the rim of her warm mug. "Camp Skylark, I think it was called. On February twenty-eighth, nineteen-seventy-right." Paige's lip trembled. "I realized I was barely six months old at the time." 

Phoebe slid her arm around Paige's shoulders, knowing exactly what Paige meant. "I was about two." 

Paige leaned back into Phoebe's embrace. "Anyway, she said that Grams had brought her that day, because they'd called her down to identify the body and she didn't have anybody to watch her. But Prue snuck out of the car and she saw them zipping mom up in the body bag, after they pulled her out of the water." 

Piper shivered as she tried to imagine how her big sister must have felt. _No wonder she had a phobia of water._

Phoebe dabbed her runny nose with her sleeve. "I never knew that..." 

The youngest closed her eyes, envisioning her big sister and then her genetic parents, followed lastly by her adoptive parents. "It's ironic, ya know? The elements have taken the people who mean the most to me. Huldra was the one who led to Prue's death, the Water Demon to my biological parents, and fire took my mom and dad. You guys are so lucky. At least you had Grams and your dad-" 

"He wasn't always around for us," Phoebe interrupted. 

"He and mom broke up before Phoebe was born, and then got back together after he found out she was pregnant again. They tried to work things out when Phoebe was a baby, but our dad was jealous of yours. And even when they knew it wouldn't work out, they tried to be civil for us. But he ended up leaving again around the time Prue was seven." 

"But he showed up occasionally," Phoebe gently reminded. 

"Yeah. He came once on my eighth birthday, but all I remember is him and Grams fighting, and then he ended up leaving again. I didn't see him for years after that." 

Phoebe nodded. "Sometimes he'd send a card, but that was it. At least until nineteen-nighty-eight, after we got our powers back." 

"How was your childhood?" 

"Lonely." The word came so quickly from her lips that it surprised Paige herself. "I mean, my adoptive parents were great. They took me everywhere when I was young, and they did everything for me. They always told me that I was their 'Little Angel.' We moved into this brand new house when I was five, and that was when I met Glenn. He lived across the street, and we became best friends instantly." She snickered quietly, envisioning her husband as a young child. "But it was still really lonely, you know?" She brushed her hair from her face. "They didn't tell me I was adopted until I was ten, though." 

"What made them choose ten?" 

"I asked questions." 

After a beat, Phoebe nodded her head. "What questions?" 

"I'd been at Glenn's house and Melody was showing me photo albums." 

"Melody?" 

Paige rolled her eyes. "Sorry, sometimes when I get going, I forget you guys don't know." She took another sip of her tea. "Melody is Glenn's mother. It's who Pearl got her middle name from." 

Phoebe smiled. "It's nice that you did that." 

"Yeah. Melody, she was a great woman. She passed away from breast cancer in nineteen-nighty-nine, though. Which was why when we had Pearl, we decided to honor her with that name." 

"So what did you see in the photo albums?" 

"Oh, right!" Paige blushed. "The photo albums. She was showing me pictures that were taken when she was pregnant with Glenn. When I went home that night, I asked to look at my parents photo albums. When I realized that there were pictures of me as a baby, but none with my mother pregnant with me, I began asking why. That's when they sat me down and told me about Sister Agnes and how she had given me to them." 

Piper twisted a strand of hair. "Can I ask something kind of personal?" 

"Sure." 

"Why couldn't your parents have children?" 

"It was my mom, actually. It was actually a problem like the one you had, Piper. Scar tissue. When she was seventeen her house caught on fire. I believe it had something to do with a wood burning stove, or something. Either way, when she was trying to get her little sister, my Aunt Julie, out of the house, one of the support beams fell on her. It was a miracle she got out, let alone lived. But it caused permanent scar tissue to form from the impact on her abdomen." 

"What was her name?" 

"Jasmine." 

"Jasmine and Julie?" An amused smile washed over the eldest of the three. "Did your adoptive mom have any other siblings?" 

"One brother. He was the middle child." 

Piper quirked a brow. "What was his name?"

"Jarrett. Good ol' Uncle Jarrett." 

Piper glanced at Phoebe, continuing to smile. 

"What?" Paige crossed her arms. "What's so fu-" She rolled her eyes. "Is it that they all have 'J' names? Look, it isn't a family tradition like with us. It was just that my grandmother wanted her kids to have an apparent connection, other than blood and their last names." 

"It's not that, I just think it's a little ironic. Have you ever studied our Family Tree?" 

Paige shook her head. 

"It's the same thing Grandpa Jack's mom did with her kids." 

"Grandpa Jack?" 

"Grams' first husband." 

"Oh!" Paige flicked her wrist, waving her sister on. 

"Yeah. He had an older sister named Janice. Mom used to always tell me how she loved spending time over at her Aunt Janice's house, when grandpa would drop her off. I guess they'd do a lot of cooking and poetry-" 

"Cooking and poetry?" Paige snickered, looking to Phoebe. 

"Sounds more like potions and spells!" Phoebe grinned. "Man, it would've been so cool growing up with powers." 

"Uhm, Pheebs?" 

"Oh, yeah, right." The middle of the three rolled her eyes. "Continue with what you were saying." 

"Yeah, well. Did Prue ever tell you that her middle name is actually Janice? After Great Aunt Janice?" 

Paige shook her head, smiling. "Wow. Hey, I guess that if our descendants ever get tired of the 'P' tradition, they can always change to 'J,' right?" 

"Or 'W.' I mean, check out how many 'W' names we've got in the bunch. 'Warren,' 'Wentworth,' 'Wilder...'" 

"'Wesley,'" Paige jumped in. 

"Wesley?" 

"Glenn's father. Everyone just called him 'Wes', though." 

"What about your adoptive father?" Phoebe inquired. 

"Ruben. Ruben Matthews," Paige replied softly. 

Piper leaned over to place her empty cup on the tray. "Looks like we need to update the Family Tree, huh?" 

Before Phoebe could open her mouth, she caught a set of shimmers across the room. Acting instinctively, she jumped to her feet and into a fighting stance. She could feel the adrenaline rush through her body as the dark form materialized, and then gave a exhale of relief. "Cole!" She bolted across the room, throwing herself into his arms. Standing on her tip toes, she leaned in to kiss her husband. As their lips met, however, a reel of colorful visions blasted her psychic mind. 

_**----Premonition----**_

_"How could you have failed? It was just one little witch!" Raynor was standing in an Underworld cave with Cole and another demon. His question was addressed to Cole, however._

_"No, it wasn't. The Charmed Ones were there, just like I warned you they might be," Cole defended._

_"We could have taken them," the third demon fired back._

_"We would have died. The amulet protected them," Cole hissed._

_Raynor looked to Cole. "Which is exactly why I want it. What has happened to you, Belthazor? The witch's magic never would have stopped you before, you never would have given up. What's changed?"_

_"You know what? Let's just drop the pretences, okay? I'm tired of playing games. We both know what you're trying to do, it's not gonna work."_

_"Yeah?"_

_"You don't care about the amulet. You only care about turning me against Phoebe."_

_"How smart, and yet foolish enough to fall in love."_

_"Loving her is the best thing that's ever happened to me. You can destroy me, but you can't change that."_

_"After all that I've taught you and all that I've given you, you're willing to give it all up for a witch?"_

_"I'm not gonna kill for you, Raynor. Not anymore."_

_"Not even for your father's soul?" A bright sphere of white light materialized within Raynor's hand._

_Angered, Cole attempts to go after Raynor. _

_Unfortunatelythe third demon latched onto Cole, holding him at bay with a knife to his throat. "Settle, brother."_

_"How did you get that? The Source?"_

_"I'll promise to free him if you've fulfilled your end of the bargain. You kill the witch, come back and finish your obligations, and you and your father will both be free."_

_Angry and torn, Cole shimmered out._

_Looking to the remaining demon, Raynor added, "All that separates us from getting him back are a few drops of innocent blood, and they're about to be spilled."_

_----_

_In the attic, a potion in a chalice turned blood red. Jenna, an innocent wearing half an amulet, announced, "It's ready."_

_Raynor shimmered in and threw an energy ball at Leo,whowas instantlyknocked unconscious. _

_Jenna gasped. She turned to Raynor and held her amulet._

_Cole looked to Raynor. "Leave her out of this, Raynor!"_

_"I serve with every breath, even my last," Jenna replied boldly._

_"I'll have to take you up on that. But I think I'll save that pleasure for my brother." He held out his hand, summoning a crackling energy ball which he hurled at Jenna._

_A force field sprang up via the amulet, deflecting the energy ball. However, she still wobbled against the sheer force, landing in a pile of boxes. As she falls to the floor, the amulet falls from her neck._

_The attic door shakes as someone tries to get one, but Raynor has blocked the door. Phoebe's voice pours through the door. "Cole?" Again, another bang sounds against the door._

_"I've come to take you home," Raynor announced._

_"I am home."_

_"Cole!" Phoebe's voice screamed again._

_"You will be when you kill the witch. Stop fighting it, Belthazor. You're a demon. Embrace it. Let evil make you strong again, give into it!"_

_"Cole? Leo?" Phoebe's voice continues to plead from the other outside the attic._

_"The rage in you is raising but it's not me you want to kill. It's her. Do it, for yourself."_

_"No."_

_"Cole, open up the door, let me in!" Phoebe yelled again. Unbeknownst to Cole and Raynor, the door creeks over, as Prue and Phoebe are both outside it now. Phoebe peeks in._

_"Is she really worth sacrificing your father's soul for?"_

_"Cole, no, don't do it," Phoebe asked pleadingly._

_Cole yelledagainst his inner conflict, before giving into the form ofBelthazor. He conjured a pulsating energy ball and hurled itat Jenna, killing her instantly and leaving no trace of the body. _

_Raynor shimmers out._

_Prue, Piper, and Phoebe run into the attic. Prue and Piper run to Leo._

_Belthazor stares at his beloved. "Phoebe."_

_"What did you do to him?" Piper growled, looking to Belthazor._

_Belthazor's form began to shrink, transforming back into its human form; Cole._

_"I saw what you did."_

_"It's not what it looks like. It wasn't-"_

_"Jenna is dead, and Leo is unconscious. What else could it be?" The psychic cut in._

_"Raynor forced me, I had no choice."_

_"There's always a choice, Cole."_

_----_

_Cole shimmered into the Underworld, where Raynor lay waiting for him._

_"I knew you'd come back, I've been waiting for you."_

_"My father's soul, where is it?"_

_Raynor holds up his hand, summoning a white ball of light; Benjamin Turner's soul. He allows Cole to eagerly take it. "Of course, now that you're evil, what can you do with it?"_

_"That's not your concern."_

_"True. You're my only concern."_

_"How'd you get me to do it? A spell?"_

_"Does it really matter? But you enjoyed it, didn't you, killing the witch?"_

_"Not as much as I'm going to enjoy this." Pulling out a knife, Cole viciously stabs the other demon in the stomach. "You killed Phoebe's love for me. Now I'm gonna watch you die."_

_"I feel your heart, it's racing even as mine slows. You're enjoying this, I can feel it."_

_Angered, Cole digs the knife deeper._

_"This is what I hoped for. Your inner-demonic nature finally showing itself for all its glory."_

_Cole pushes him away._

_"You're truly evil now, Belthazor. Welcome home." Raynor drops to his knees and fire blazes around him, before he disappears._

_Cole kneels to the ground in despair._

_**----Premonition----**_

Phoebe staggered back, suddenly realizing why the name had been so familiar. "Raynor!"

"Raynor?" Cole's icy blue eyes expanded. "Phoebe, what did you see?"

"The past." She runs a hand through her hair, waving to her sisters. "Go get the Book. Now!" Turning back to her husband, her eyes stare pleadingly. "Cole, you have to tell me everything you know about the demon namedRaynor. The one who tricked you into killing a witch several years ago. The one," she turned away, "the one who I refused to believe tricked you."

_**TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	18. Everybody Loves Raynor

A/N: Peanut, I guess I just feel that when my story started, there was still a mound of unresolved issues with Paige, Piper, and Phoebe. (Remember, in my world it started in season four, not too long after she met her sisters.) Then Prue came back and everything was rushed because of Paige's pregnancy. So instead of resolving the issues with Piper and Phoebe in a good manner, her feelings really just got covered up. I guessI think of it as putting a patch over the real problem, and now that the patch (Prue) is gone, everything's spun out of control again. And Ed, as for the subject of Grams' first husband's name being "Jack" versus "Allen," that's actually a controversy in the show. In earlier seasons, when we got a glimpse of the Family Tree, his name was listed as "Jack Halliwell," but then they had the _Witchstock_ episode and it was suddenly "Allen Halliwell." I started my story before that episode, so his name had always been Jack Halliwell in my series, and I didn't want to go back and change it. 

_**Change Happens**_

_**Chapter 18: Everybody Loves Raynor**_

Cole stared coldly at the page in the Book of Shadows, emblazoned with a hand drawing of Raynor. His fingers curled into his palm and his nails began to dig at the flesh, but he all he could see was red and all he could feel was blossoming anger. 

"Cole?" Phoebe had her hands shoved deep into her pockets, staring awkwardly at her husband. "Cole?" 

Cole emitted a low, primal growl as his head bobbed up to greet Phoebe's eyes. 

"Do you know anything about him?" 

"He was a demonic mentor of mine. An old friend of my mother's as I was growing up. In fact, he knew my father too; my one weakness. When he got wind of our relationship, he concocted a plan to turn me back to evil. Somehow he stole my father's soul from the afterlife and used it as leverage to get me to kill again." 

"Did you get his soul back?" 

"Yes..." 

"But?" 

"But I..." Cole's voice trailed off as his eyes returned to the page. "Give me your hand." 

"What?" 

"I need to show you something." 

The precognitive hesitated for a second, before placing her hand in Cole's and disappearing in a wave of demonic transportation. 

---- 

"Paige, can you pass me that cup?" Piper glanced up from the sink. Her hands on up to her elbows were covered with white suds, and she held a soggy white and red checkered dishcloth in her right hand. 

"Piper, do you really think cleaning is a good idea at the moment?" 

"We can't do anything until Phoebe and Cole get down here, and I really don't believe that we should interrupt them right now." 

Paige threw back her shoulders and stretched her arm out for the coffee mug in front of her. She wrapped a pale hand around it and as she turned, her face contorted in pain. Her mouth dropped into an 'o' formation and her fingers loosened around the cup. It seemed to fall in slow motion, and then burst into a thousand pieces once it touched the tile flooring. Paige's white hands flew to her stomach and she gasped, tumbling back into the kitchen table. 

Dropping the cloth, Piper dashed straight for her baby sister. "Oh my god, Paige!" She wrapped her sudsy arms around Paige and pulled her close, stroking her sister's dark hair. "It's okay, breath. Breath." She eased Paige into a chair and pushed her hair behind her shoulders. Her mind whirred as she grabbed the cordless phone from its stand and pressed in '911'. 

---- 

Phoebe held her breath as she gazed around the dustyMausoleum. Shehadn't been there in so long, yet theplace hadso many memories for her. Itwas her and Cole's special place. So many secrets had been kept here, and it was where Cole's father lay to rest. "Cole, what are we doing here?" 

Ignoring her, Cole shimmies past her and slips his hand around the side of the coffin. He stands maneuvering only his arm for a moment, and then a groaning click resounds through the room. As the half demon pulled his arm back, a cloud of orangey-gray dust bloomed from the coffin, and the nameplate on his father's coffin slid upward and ejected a cherry wood box with intricate carvings. Cole gently pulled the box into his hand and held it tenderly to his chest. "Phoebe," he said as he unlatched the box. "I'd like you to meet my father." As the lid popped open, a glowing white spherical ball floated from the royal blue velvet interior and just hung in mid air, between Cole and Phoebe. 

Phoebe stood dumbfounded. Her chestnut eyes shifted between Cole and the ball of light. If she didn't know better, she'd have mistaken it as one of Pearl's exploding light balls. "Y-your father?" She sputtered. 

Cole slid his hand under the glowing sphere, and held it just above his palm. "After I got him back from Raynor, I couldn't do anything with him. So I just made a place for his soul to rest with his body." 

Phoebe stared wide eyed. "Why didn't you just free him? Send him back to the afterlife?" 

"An evil being can't free a trapped soul, Phoebe." 

"But you aren't evil!" 

"It's complicated, Phoebe. But once I killed that innocent, I lost my only chance to prove myself at being a good being. The grand design forbids me from releasing his soul." 

Phoebe's hand whipped out before her, grabbing at the sphere. "Then let me. I'll free him." 

"You can't." 

"Cole, I'm a Charmed One. How much more good can I get?" 

"A trapped soul can only be released by the one who trappedit, oronethe soul'sdescendants." 

Phoebe placed her hand to her mouth, rubbing her index finger over her soft lips. "Pam." 

---- 

Paige opened her eyes to a bleary line of vision, and far too bright fluorescent lights. 

"Paige?" 

It was at that moment that Paige realized someone's warm hands were cupping one of her's. She arched her head to the side and blinked several times, before the silhouette of her big sister came into view. "P-Prue?" 

The silhouette shook her head. "No sweetie, it's Piper." The brunette wiped at the corner of her tear dotted eye, before she reached out to stroke the side of Paige's face. "How're you feeling?" 

Paige closed her eyes and leaned her head deep into the white pillow. "What happened to me? Where am I?" 

"What's the last thing you remember?" 

"I was talking to you in the kitchen, and you asked me to pass you one of the dirty cups." 

Piper nodded as she continued to stroke Paige's face. "You blacked out, sweetie. I called the ambulance." 

"I-I blacked out?" Her hand bolted to her massive belly. "The baby-" 

"Is fine...for now." She indicated an IV next to Paige's bed. "They were early labor pains, but they've given you some medicine to hold off the labor for a few more weeks, until it's time. They also say you need bed rest." 

"But we've got a de-" 

"Phoebe and I can take care of it, Paige. You yourself said that Raynor doesn't need a Power of Three vanquish." 

"But what about Ohanzee? We still haven't figured out how to vanquish him! And Brianna-" 

"We're working on it, Paige. And we'll cross those bridges when we come to them. Right now all I'm worrying about is you and the baby." The timer stood up and leaned over her baby sister's bed, pecking her on the forehead. "I have to go now. You need to stay here and rest. If there's a problem, call Leo. I'll be back in a few hours." 

"But Piper-" 

"No buts, Missy Paige." The brunette wagged her finger as she gathered her coat from the back of her chair, and headed towards the door. "I'll see you soon. I love you." 

Paige laid numbly for a minute, watching as Piper began to shut the door. She couldn't believe that she'd really just said those three special words like it was nothing. "Piper, wait!" 

Turning around, Piper poked her head back inside the white room. "Yeah?" 

"I love you too." 

Piper's knuckles became white as she gripped the door handle a little harder. Then she smiled. "I'll be back soon, honey." Then she was gone. 

---- 

"I knew you'd come, Belthazor." Raynor wore a cocky smirk on his face. "And you brought your little witch too." 

Phoebe's eyes blazed like fire. "You bastard!" She ran at him, only to be violently repelled by a flashing blue force field. 

Cole helped his wife to her feet, and then neared his fellow demon cautiously. "This isn't one of your powers, how'd you get it?" 

Raynor scoffed. "I have my ways, Belthazor." 

"Last time I saw you, I twisting a knife in your gut. You aren't even an upper level demon. How did you come back?" 

"I have friends in high places." He waved his hand around the room. "Or, rather, low places as the song goes." 

Suddenly Phoebe's eyes flickered. "Cole!" 

The half demon whirled around in an offensive manner, before realizing his wife wasn't in any immediate danger. 

"Low places," the retrocognitive repeated with an inspiring grin. She narrowed her brown eyes and Raynor as she latched onto Cole's wrist. "You've just given me a brilliant idea," she smirked. "Let's go." 

Raynor's smirk melted from his face as he darted towards the couple. "You're bluffing!" 

"Wanna find out?" 

Raynor pressed his hand out towards Cole, and the blue force field ignited again. Although it didn't blast him away, it kept him apart. 

"Guess I shouldn't feel too bad, huh? At least I can leave." Wrapping his arms around Phoebe's waist, he shimmered them out, leaving a confused and disturbed Raynor in his wake. 

---- 

The windows rattled as Piper slammed the front door shut behind her. She tossed her coat to the golden rack, and marched through the manner like an army sergeant. So focused on her path, she almost ran right into Cole and Phoebe as they shimmered in front of her. "Oh god! Phoebe, Cole..." 

"Sorry," the psychic instantly apologized. She wiggled free of Cole's arms, and motioned to the stairs. "C'mon, let's talk in the attic." 

Cole surged after her. "What happened back there? Did you have a premonition?" 

"No." 

"What happened? Phoebe? Phoebe! Wait!" 

Piper threw her arms into the air as she ran after the couple. "What the hell is going on? What happened where? Where have you guys been? I thought you were up in the attic this whole time!" As she reached the top of the stairs, she flexed her fingers and Cole's leg motion halted. 

Cole crossed his arms, staring down at his frozen legs. "Piper!" 

"What's going on?" 

Realizing that nobody was behind her, Phoebe stopped and turned back to her husband and elder sister. "When Raynor mentioned that song, it gave me an idea." 

"Yeah, I kind of figured that out when we were down there." 

"Down there? Raynor?" Piper's eyes bulged. "You went and confronted him alone?" 

"I killed him once already, Piper. I could've easily done it again." 

"That's not the point! You left without telling me or Paige-" 

"Paige. Where is Paige?" 

Piper could've smacked herself at that moment. She was yelling at her family for not telling her about confronting a demon that both Phoebe or Cole were perfectly able to vanquish, but she hadn't told them that she'd taken Paige to the hospital. She could already feel it coming. "In the hospital." 

"What?" Phoebe nearly lunged at her. "And you didn't feel the need to tell me? What happened? Wh-what about Leo?" 

"Early labor," Piper replied too simply. "They gave her drugs to stop it, but she needs bed rest, so I left her there. I told her to call Leo if anything happened." 

"What about the baby?" 

"She's fine. They're both fine." 

"What if Ohanzee were to attack-" 

"Phoebe, she's surrounded by people! It's a hospital, for cryin' out loud. All of Ohanzee's attacks thus far have been alone, where he's drawn someone away and killed them privately. I think she's fine right now. Besides, we have to work on getting Brianna's soul back before we can figure out how to vanquish Ohanzee." She snapped her fingers. "Now, about Raynor and you seeing him?" 

Phoebe looked to Cole, who nodded for her to continue. "Cole took me to Raynor's old lair, hoping he'd be there. He was, but he was being protected by a force field." 

"Actually, I think he was being held there by a force field. When he tried to grab at me, it blocked him. Obviously if he was controlling it, he would've gotten at me." 

"Right." Phoebe raked her hand through her wavy golden-brown hair. "And when Cole asked him how he came back from the dead, he said he had friends 'in high places,' and then he made a reference to that country song about 'friends in low places.' It got me thinking about the next few lines of the song..." 

"Which are?" 

"'I've got friends in low places, where the whiskey drowns and the booze chases my blues away, and I'll be okay-'" 

"And that's got to do with what?" 

"The line about chasing away the blues! Piper, don't you see? I think my empathy advanced for reasons other than to help us today!" 

"How is that going to help us?" 

Cole, on the other hand, looked shocked. "Your empathy advanced?" He went to step towards her, forgetting about being frozen at the legs, and lurched back. "Uhm, Piper?" 

"Oh, right, sorry." Piper blinked her eyes and Cole's legs unfroze. 

He stumbled forward, completely unaware of the foreign gesture as the witch usually used her hands to expel her powers. He crashed straight into the wall, knocking a picture to the floor. 

Piper's hand shot out like lightning, halting the frame before it could shatter. She tenderly picked up the framed photograph, a picture of Prue the day she'd graduated High School, and replaced it. "Be more careful," she growled. 

"I'm sorry," came his sincerest of apologies. He slipped past the witch, and wrapped his arms comfortingly around Phoebe's waist. "Go on." 

"Right. So I was thinking that since now I can send emotions from one person to another, maybe I can direct feelings of love and goodness from us into Raynor, which would weaken his defenses enough to trick him into summoning Brianna from where ever he's hidden her soul." She turned around to lookCole with a vengeful looketched intoher pretty features. "Similar to how he tricked you into being evil, but in reverse." 

Piper seemed to consider it a moment, and then gave a violent shake of her head. 

"What? Why?" 

"Because it's too dangerous, Phoebe. The only way you even activated your advancement was in a time of deep emotion stress and you don't know if you'll be able to do it again, much less if it'll even work the way you want it to." 

"But we have to try!" 

"No." The elder witch placed her hands squarely to her hips and gave her baby sister the best stare down she could. "We have to think of something else. I'm not going to lose another sister." 

"You're not going to lose me-" 

"You're exactly right, which is why we aren't going through with this plan." She flicked her wrist, signally that the conversation was over. Then she whizzed past Phoebe and Cole, heading for the attic. 

"Phoebe, I know that look." 

Phoebe twisted her neck, glancing behind her at the half demon. "Don't start with me, Cole. I have to do this." She turned in his arms, standing on her tip toes and kissed him softly on the lips. "I'm going to go pick up the girls from school, okay? When I get back, I promise that we'll get everything sorted out." She slipped from Cole's grasp and trotted down the hallway, leaving Cole to wonder how this day would really play out. 

**_TO BE CONTINUED..._**

A/N: I know that there's a million and one different things going on in this subplot, but rest assured that I (unlike Kern) will not leave you hanging. Everything WILL be resolved in due time. 


	19. A Wild Demon Chase

A/N: I got a question about how Piper's powers work, so I figure I'd just nip an entire line of questioning in the bud. Here's how their powers have progressed in my story... (I won't post Pearl, Pam, or Prissy's because they haven't really changed/advanced in a significant way.) 

Prue's Telekinesis - Projected through her eyes, hands, or (in cases of extreme emotional stress) it can culminate freely in her surroundings and usually starts a telekinetic storm where things go flying everywhere and she can't control it. 

Prue's Astral Projection - She's gained enough control over it that she can use her telekinesis (hands or eyes)in her astral state, but not her phasing. 

Prue's Phasing - She can phase herself, objects, and other people by touching them. (But if you've ever seen _Mutant X_, she can't touch a wall and phase the entire thing whilst people walk through it or something to that effect.) 

Piper's Temporal Stasis (Freezing) - If you remember in _That 70's Episode_, Little Piper unfroze Andy with just a blink of her eyes. Now that Piper is older and has had her power for so long, she can project it through her hands, eyes, or just by thinking about freezing someone. 

Piper's Molecular Acceleration (Exploding) - Again, because she's had this power for quite a while, so she can activate it the same way as her freezing (hands, eyes, or just thinking about exploding something). 

Piper's Molecular Deceleration (Slow Motion) - Since it's relatively new to her, she can only activate it (and she's stillgetting use to it) through waving her hands. 

Phoebe's Premonitions - She can view them in color or black and white, although they're usually in color. She can see the past, present, and future. She still has to touch things (or sound activated, like when Prue turned into a werewolf)in order to get premonitions, however she can go back and activate her past premonitions. She can also share premonitions with people, through physical touch. 

Phoebe's Empathy - She can feel other's emotions, project them to herself (along with powers if the being has magical powers), and now she can also project feelings from one person to another to make them feel each other's emotions. 

Paige's Orbing - She can orb herself and others through touch, she can also turn into a stream of orbs and push things around (like we saw in the _Charmed_ episode with the Siren). 

Paige's Telekinetic Orbing - Projected through her voice, eyes, hands, thinking, or (in cases of extreme emotional stress) it cancause things goburst into orbs and orb around the room where she can't control it. She is also able to hold people or objects in an orb (but if she leaves a room without summoning them back, they automatically orb back). 

Persia's Electrokinesis - She can shoot bolts of electricity through her hands and project it from her body to other objects/people (i.e. shocking Tyler when he touched her shoulder). 

Phiona's Orb-telekinesis - She can project orbs through her hands (which act like Prue's TK) and she can create orbs in mid air, without having to shoot them through her hands. 

Pandora's Telepathy- She can read minds (even that of the unborn), open up psychic channels between people, and close off psychic channels between people. 

Unborn Prutus' Premonitions - Her powers work much like Phoebe's (she can have black and white or colored visions of the past, present, or future), but her visions don't have to be activated by physical touch or sound(although they can be). She can also send them to whoever she pleases, without having to have a physical link to send them. 

**_Change Happens_**

_**Chapter 19: A Wild Demon Chase**_

Persia leaned awkwardly against the edge of her desk, while her classmates huddled around the door. Her mind was swimming. Her talk with Tyler had sent her into a type of daze that, if she didn't know better, she would've thought was a spell. 

She desperately wanted to be friends with The Firestarter again. He understood her like nobody else did. It wasn't like she could just go up to anyone and blurt out her witch life story. On the other hand, however, he had tricked her. She didn't want to end up one of those people who ended up in a cycle of forgive and forget. She'd known far too many people like that, and they always ended up the ones that people pitied. 

Before her mind could wander any further on the subject, the sharp ring of the bell burst against her ears, and she felt a rush of hair blow past her as her classmates scrambled out the door. She emitted a soft moan, as she rose to her feet and swung her backpack over her back. _This is going to be a long weekend._ It took her all of ten seconds to scurry out of the room. All she wanted was to get home and curl up in bed. 

---- 

Tyler paced back and forth. He was positioned in front of the school, where Phoebe usually picked Persia up about ten minutes after they got out. That is, if she was driving and not using some sort of magical transportation. Persia had told him, most reluctantly, that she'd needed time to think. He'd crossed his fingers and hoped that an entire class period was enough to do just that. He came to an abrupt halt when he saw a glimpse of her face through the throng of people coming his way. His heart gave a little jump. 

The blonde teen grabbed ahold of the door and swung it open, only to scrunched between the door and the brick wall of the school as a stream of High School kids pushed their way through the Baker High doors. Finally, he squirmed out, just in time to grab Persia's arm. Bad move. No sooner had he done so, did he feel himself slammed back against the wall again. He moaned, and at the same time he heard the brunette witch gasp. "S-sorry," he moaned, rubbing his head. 

"Geeze, Tyler!" Persia grabbed him by the arm and tugged him around the corner of the school, away from prying eyes and sensitive ears. "You can't just sneak up on people like that! Least of all a Halliwell!" She folded her arms over her chest and leaned indignantly against the wall. 

"I didn't mean-" 

"Look," she interrupted. "I just haven't had enough time, okay? There's a lot going on right now, if you haven't figured that out already." 

"I know. Your aunt is my whitelighter, you know. She gives me the same speech every time I ask about you." 

The brunette looked surprised. "You ask about me?" 

Rose flooded his cheeks. "Y-yeah, some-sometimes." He closed his eyes as the warm feeling in his cheeks flooded his entire body. He hated that he couldn't control his bodily reactions, such as blushing. In fact, he found that he seemed to be doing a lot more often lately. Especially when he spoke of one particular Halliwell witch. 

When he opened them, he also opened his mouth in an attempt to fix the situation. It was at that moment that he saw the look on Persia's face literally fall. "Did I say so-" He didn't have time to finish. Before he knew it, her body was falling towards him! Instinctively, his arms shot out and caught her against his strong chest. "Persia?" He pushed the witch against the wall, steadying her with one hand as he pulled the other back. "Per-" His face paled, as he saw his blood drenched hand. His soft eyes traveled immediately to her stomach, spotting a gaping hole the size of a small child's fist. "Persia!" 

His eyes darted around for any sign of the demon that had surely done this to her, but there was none. Then, from him peripheral vision, he saw a flash of a dark shadow. His head swiveled around in time to see it move across the cement. "I don't know what you are," he growled. "But I'm going to make you pay!" His eyes burned with determination. Sparks of red and orange erupted across the ground and flared upward into huge, licking flames. He narrowed his eyes and another bought of fire sprang up, this time on the grass. 

Ohanzee loomed just inches from the flames, hidden within the shadow of Baker High's roof. His shadowy hand arced out and a dark shadow sphere culminated above it. He took aim, and moved into the light. He didn't realize that as he did so, a cloud also moved past the sun, allowing it glare down on the licking flames. The shadow demon was far too busy steadying his arm to see the shadow of the licking flames shift position in time with the shifting of the sun's rays. His hand curved right into their flickering shadow. A deafening roar exploded from seemingly everywhere. His shadow ball diminished instantly, and shadow flames shot up his dark arm. He moved with stealth, away from the shadow of the flames and disappeared into the grass. 

"Dear god! Please don't let me be too late!" 

Tyler looked up at the sound of the precognitive Charmed One's voice. "She's hurt really bad!" 

Phoebe shoved past the blonde, and scooped her eldest daughter into her arms. "Oh no. No. No. No. No. No!" Her eyes flashed to the sky. "Leo! Leo!" 

A trail of orbs descended from the clear blue sky. They began to multiply and spiral into a huge column, which gave birth do the angelic blonde whitelighter that the entire Halliwell family knew and loved. He didn't need any instruction. Phoebe's frantic voice had said it all. He placed his hands to bloody hole in Persia's chest and a cleansing beam of healing energy envelope her chest. It was so bright, so powerful, that it literally blinded both Tyler and Phoebe. "How did this happen?" 

"I-I d-don't know," the blonde teenager stuttered. "I was trying to talk to her, and suddenly she fell into my arms." He flicked his gaze in the direction of the raging flames on the grass. "I started fires, but I didn't see anything. Except..." 

"Except what?" Phoebe asked urgently. She hadn't seen the attacker in her premonition, just Persia falling into Tyler's arms. She did, however, have her suspicions. 

"A shadow," he breathed. "I saw a shadow. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw this shadowy form moving across the ground." 

"And he just left?" 

"No. It was after I started the fire." 

"Fire?" Phoebe squeezed her daughter's limp hand. "Ohanzee's weakness is fire? That just doesn't seem right." 

"I'm sorry." 

Phoebe was about to respond, when Persia's gasp averted her attention. "Persia!" Without meaning to, she shoved her brother-in-law aside, and pulled the electric witch into her arms. "I thought I was too late." 

"Mom," Persia murmured from behind a swathe of Phoebe's hair. "Air!" 

_**----Flashback----**_

_Paige let go of Prue's hand as Phoebe's eyes opened._

Phoebe looked right at Prue. "Prue! I knew it was you!" Phoebe yelped with joy. Phoebe jumped up and threw her arms are Prue, instantly making them both fall backwards onto the ground. "I missed you so much!" Phoebe said, her voice almost screaming with joy.

"Air becoming an issue..." Prue mumbled.

Phoebe's face turned red and she let go of Prue and moved back. 

_**----Flashback----**_

"Phoebe?" Leo placed a comforting hand on the Charmed One's shoulder. 

"Mom?" Persia asked in partial disbelief. "Are you...are you crying?" 

Phoebe sniffled as she wiped her nose with the sleeve of her shirt. "I'm sorry," she sobbed. "It's just that, well, you reminded me of something. 

Persia leaned weakly against the brick wall. "Of what, may I ask?" 

Phoebe squeezed her eldest's hand again. "Prue." 

Persia's lips pursed. She wasn't sure what to say to that, or if she should say anything at all. Her Aunt Prue had been such a horribly touchy subject lately, and understandably so. "I'm sorry." 

"No." Phoebe dabbed the corners of her eyes with her sleeve, which left murky black smears on her cuff. "It's a good thing. It reminded me of the day she came back to us. The day that all four of us were finally under the same roof." 

"Phoebe." 

Leo's concerned voice brought the Charmed One out of her fantastical daydream, and back to the matter at hand. "Right. Look, Leo, I think you should take Persia home. I've got Pam and the girls in the car, so I'll be there in a while. But I watch Persia with Piper, in case Ohanzee goes after her again." 

"Ohanzee?" The Firestarter looked utterly confused. "Who's that?" 

"A nasty demon," Leo informed. 

"Then I want to-" 

"Absolutely not! It's bad enough he's out to get the rest of the Warren line. We don't need him after you too." Phoebe wagged her index finger in clear disapproval. "Leo, go on. I'll meet you soon." She kissed her daughter's forehead. "Be careful. This demon is really dangerous. I'm sure Piper will brief you when you get there." 

"But mom-" 

"No buts. Get going, the both of you." She rested her hands squarely on her hips. 

"You're the boss," Persia snorted as she laid a hand on her uncle's shoulder. "Orb me up, Scotty!" No sooner had the words left her mouth, did her body cave into an explosion of orbs and swirl upwards towards the blue sky. 

"Ms. Halliwell-" 

"Sorry Tyler, I've gotta go. I'll see you later, okay? Oh, but before you leave, you'll probably want to put those out. They could be a safety hazard." She indicated the flickering fires behind Tyler. While his line of vision followed her outstretched arm, she jetted away from the school as fast as her three inch heels would allow. She did not want to wait around for the protest, which she could feel was coming on. _Teenagers are so predictable._

"Agh!" Tyler placed his hands to his temples in frustration. Unfortunately the emotionally stressed young man only managed to further infuriate the blaze. _This power still sucks. I wish I had Piper's ability to freeze._ His nose twitched in annoyance. The flames were becoming so hot that he could feel the heat. If he didn't put them out soon, they were bound to draw attention. _A spell. I need a spell. What rhymes with fire?_ He almost chuckled to himself at the first thought that came to mind. 

"Brighter brighter grass on fire, ice these flames to prevent something far dire!" All he'd done was reword a classic childhood rhyme, but its effect was the desired one. A thin layer of ice spread rapidly over the licking flames. A dark spiral of smoke rose up from the grass and dissipated into the air, leaving what appeared to be a mini ice rink over the grass. Pleased with him work, Tyler marched off to find his car. Now that that had been taken care of, he had only one destination in mind. The Halliwell Manor. 

---- 

"Any leads?" Persia asked as she stepped into the attic. She had a blue-gray bath towel in her hand, and was dabbing the ends of her golden brown hair with it. 

Piper placed her hands on her hips in exasperation. "Nada." She flashed a sympathetic look towards her niece. "Did you have any luck getting the green demons guts out of your hair?" 

Persia wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Let's just say that all of the Pantene Pro-V is out, and Uncle Leo's strawberry-kiwi Fructis is half gone." 

Piper's eyes shot open. "Leo's Fructis shampoo? I always thought that was Paige's!" 

"See! Now this is why we need to work on communication in this family!" 

"How do you know it's Leo's?" 

"I found out about a year ago, when I ran out of mine and went to borrow some. Like you, I thought it was Aunt Paige's and when I asked her and it wasn't, I naturally assumed it was yours, because I know mom doesn't use it. So I asked Uncle Leo if he thought you would mind because for some reason or another, I couldn't find you." Her lips curved into a wicked smile. 

"And he actually admitted it to you?" 

"Well, he didn't want me to ask you about it. Oh gosh, you should've seen his face. It was so redI thought all of the blood in his body musta rushed to his face." 

"Whose face?" Leo appeared in the doorway, with a dopey grin on his face. 

"Yours," Piper snickered. 

Leo's brows shot up. "What?" 

"From what I hear, it was as red as the strawberries in your strawberry-kiwi Fructis!" 

"You!" Leo pointed accusingly at Persia. 

"Dude," Persia said raising her hands in defeat. "It's not my fault. You know my mom can't keep a secret. You should've thought about that before you told me to keep quiet. I think it's genetic." 

Piper slunk over to her husband and wrapped her arms around his neck. "No wonder you always smell so good." 

"In coming!" A mushroom cloud of dust burst from the other side of the attic, as Cole hurdled through the door and made a crash landing. 

Piper's hands flew out before her, activating her very first power. The dust cloud stopped mid motion, Cole was half standing when he became statue-like, and Leo had been halted just as he had opened his mouth to say something. "Do you see anything?" 

Small neon sparks flickered around the tips of her fingers. "No." 

"Shadows, Persia. Keep watching for shadows." 

"Piper!" Leo jumped into motion again, diving at his wife and forcing them both into orbs just as a spherical shadow came flying across the floor at her. The sphere shot through the shadow of their orbs and sped across the ground until it came in contact with the shadow of a box. The box in question became a pile of ash in no time. 

Persia laced her fingers together and turned her palms outward, summoning a giant neon bolt. It charged for the looming shadow in the center of the room and hit its target dead center. Unfortunately the floor exploded in the said spot, but the shadow appeared unharmed. 

"You can't wound him that way," Cole bellowed as he appeared behind his step-daughter. He slid his arms around her waist and shimmered them away. 

---- 

"You brought the kids this time?" 

Phoebe moved to the demon until the blue shield rose up between them. "Pearl." 

The eldest Blessed One spread her fingers as if to hold something of significant weight. A small sphere of white light began to culminate in her hand which slowly grew until it reached the size of an overgrown grapefruit. Her arm reared back and she cast the weapon against the shield. 

"Again!" 

Pearl waved her hand against the smoke from the clash of her power against the shield. Again, she summoned another light ball and threw it against the force field. 

"It won't work. You don't have enough power," Raynor sneered. 

"You wanna bet your life on that?" Pearl swirled her palms together as she summoned another light ball. It hit the shield with a bang, literally sending her sliding across the cave on her ass. 

"How much ya got, squirt?" Raynor's fingers twitched. 

Phoebe's nostrils flared at the comment. She activated her empathic powers in order to summon Pearl's powers to herself. _Two are better than one_, she mentally reasoned. As Pearl gathered herself, Phoebe wiggled her fingers to create one of Pearl's exploding light balls. A primal growl emitted from her throat as she hurled the weapon against the force field. It crackled and flickered. "Pearl, keep going at it!" She knew she was close. Now she just needed to figure out how to summon her newest power advancement. 

---- 

"Whoa..." Chase Hockley wobbled away from Phiona with his hands clenched around his stomach. "Where are we?" 

"I don't know.." Phiona's head wobbled loosely on her shoulders as she gazed around the pristinely white room. 

"Phiona?" 

The Blessed One whirled around to face her youngest aunt. "Aunt Paige! Oh good, the spell took me to the right place." Suddenly her smile faded as she realized Paige was propped up in a hospital bed, with an IV in her arm. "Uhm, what's going on?" 

"I asked you first," the Charmed One countered. 

"I went over to Chase's house after school. But then I got a distressed message from Pandora, so I wrote a transport spell to take us to the Manor. She said that Aunt Phoebe just dropped her off there, but she couldn't find anyone-" 

"So you just left her home alone?" Paige nearly screeched. 

"No! She's with Uncle Andy. But she couldn't find anyone with powers," Phiona explained. 

"Phoebe just dropped her off?" Paige asked, returning to her earlier statement. 

The Blessed One nodded in confirmation. 

"Shit." Paige glanced up at the blinds on the window of the hospital room. "Uh, okay, gather 'round." She narrowed her eyes and a stream of orbs ran across the top of the blinds, unlatching them an allowing them to drop down over the window. Then she flicked her wrist in the direction of the door. An orb or two popped from the keyhole. "Let's go." 

Chase's skin appeared a slight green color. "Is this gonna be as bad as that spell?" 

Paige curled her fist around her IV stand. "It's not that bad once you get used to it," she promised. 

"Oh cr-" His voice faded into the air as he was swooped up into Paige's orbs. 

---- 

"I can't sense her." Leo's pastel gaze landed on his Charmed wife. 

"She's in the Underworld," Piper glowered. "That little witch!" 

"She has no backup! Why would she-" 

"She took Pearl and Pam." 

Cole swiveled around to see Paige, Phiona, and Chase standing in the doorway of his living room. 

"Paige! You're supposed to be in the hospital!" 

"What?" Paige jiggled the rolling IV stand. "I brought the IV with me." 

"She took Pam? How do you know?" Cole interjected. 

"Because I can't sense either of them, and from what Pandora says, Phoebe just dropped her off at the Manor and had Pam shimmer them somewhere." 

"Shit!" 

"My sentiments exactly." Paige was about to roll her eyes when a small shiver ran down her spine. The tiny hairs on her arms and the back of her neck stood to attention. "Guys, something's coming!" No sooner had the words left her mouth, did the glass coffee table explode outwards. 

Phiona's hands thrust outwards on instinct. A cloud of orbs appeared in between the group nearest to the gleaming shards, catching them in a net of telekinetic orbs. From a viewer's standpoint, it would appear as though the orbs were a giant bowl that contained lethal glass shards. 

"Mr. Wyatt!" Chase shouted. His hand arced outwards, pointing to a burly shadow that was crossing the room. 

Ohanzee shifted position at the sound of Chase's voice and in his shadowy hand the silhouette of a sword materialized. It hadn't been there two seconds, before it was trying for a head on collision with Chase's shadow. 

Phiona retracted one hand away from the direction of the glass shards, and directed towards her best friend. A stream of single file orbs erupted from her palm and swarmed around Chase, lifting him also to the ceiling. In turn his shadow also moved, and the shadow sword just grazed the boy's ankle. "Chase, are you okay?" 

Chase scrunched his eyes in pain, as a small red spot began to bleed through his sock. "Yeah, I'm fine. Phiona, put me down and throw an orb blast to the side of him!" 

"What?" 

"Just do it!" 

The Blessed One hesitated, before bringing her friend to the floor and then averting her attention to the wall. Her hand shot out and a stream of orbs billowed from her palm, shooting directly for the shadow. It didn't move and she knew, from what her Aunt Paige had said, that it wouldn't hurt him. 

"To the side!" The mortal shrieked. 

"Chase-" 

"Now!" 

The young whitewitch twisted her wrist counterclockwise, redirecting the stream to the side of the shadow, now aiming them at the wall. The shadow of the orbs twisted, now heading straight for Ohanzee. To her surprise, Ohanzee's dark form went reeling across the white wall. 

"What the hell?" 

Although in pain, Chase still manage to grin. "Take that, asshole!" 

"Whatever happened, do it again!" Piper yelled across the room. 

Before she could summon another stream of pummeling orbs, however, Ohanzee slunk into the wall and disappeared from Cole's house. 

"How did you know to do that?" Leo inquired. 

"I didn't." Chase slouched to the ground, holding his bloody ankle. 

Leo moved towards the mortal, knelt down, and placed his hands over the kid's wound. "What, exactly, did you do?" 

"I observed," Chase snorted. "He attacked my shadow with his shadow sword thing. The logical idea was to attack him with a shadow." He motioned towards the indentation on the wall. "Apparently nobody else had thought of that yet?" 

The two Charmed sisters shared disbelieving looks. 

**_TO BE CONTINUED..._**


	20. Soul Far, Soul Good

A/N: Just FYI, in my world, the astral plane is not like a limbo or an afterlife. It's just another plane of existence that only special people have access to. It may come in handy later in my series, maybe not. 

_**Change Happens**_

_**Chapter 20: Soul Far, Soul Good**_

"Phoebe!"

Phoebe's skin prickled at the sound of her big sister's voice, which was just dripping with disappointment. "Blast the shield!"

"I'm going to do more than blast this damn shield," Piper growled. Her hands deployed and an explosion echoed the room, sending shock waves from the shield straight into the Phoebe.

Cole curved his arm and summoned a cackling ball of energy above his palm. He reared back and cast it into the flickering blue force field.

Piper stalked over to her little sister and grabbed her by the hair, yanking her upwards. "I am so far beyond pissed with you, missy!" Another explosion rocketed off the force field.

Phoebe cringed. "Piper, I-"

"Don't even start with me!" She squinted her eyes, looking scarily like Prue at that moment, and sent another blast at the shield.

Cole grabbed his daughter by the waist and hoisted her into his arms.

"I can take care of myself," Pam glowered.

"We're not going to talk about this right now, Pamela. I'm taking you and your cousins home."

"No!" Pam placed her hand on the back of his neck, activating her ability to absorb powers. Then she shimmered away from her father's grasp, appearing next to her mother. She laced her hands together and forced her palms towards the shield. A glob shaped energy ball raced from her hands, followed instantly by another and another. Amazingly, it was like a string of energy balls. The kid was powerful, and she knew it.

Pearl elicited a small grunt as she hit the force field again. "Slow down the force field, Aunt Piper."

"What're you talking about?" Piper asked, as she blasted the shield again.

"Use your power to slow down its regenerative properties, and then hit it all at once with our combined offensive powers."

Piper held up her hands, acting as if she were about to catch a ball, and then she flicked her wrists. There seemed to be a small hiss in response, then the shield gleamed against her power. "Ready, aim," she instructed. A plan was forming in her mind. "Throw!"

She held up both of her hands, just five inches apart from each other as she gauged the barrage of light balls and energy balls. With her right hand, she froze each one with a fast gesture. With her other hand, she used her slow motion power, causing them to move all at the same speed. Nervously, she chewed her lip as each one neared the glowing field that separated them from their demon. Then, with just centimeters between them, she simultaneously unfroze the spheres and let loose an exploding blast.

"Duck and cover!" Piper's voice had come just seconds too late. Its sound was lost in the atomic strength of the deadly concoction of power. The next thing she knew, she was under a pile of rubble a mile thick. Cloudy red smoke hung in the air, which was even worse that the pea soup San Francisco fog. She scrambled upwards, dusting off the inches of dust that had landed on her and attempted to look around. The dust laden air was too thick, and burning her eyes. "P-Paige? Phoebe?" She pinched her shirt between her fingers and brought it up over her nose, to keep her from inhaling the dust.

Across the room, Phoebe groaned as her eyes opened. She touched her lip, feeling that it was sliced open at the center and a small trail of sticky blood was dribbling down her chin. she couldn't see a damn thing because of the dust clouds. "Piper?"

Through the dark red clouds, a sparkle of blue and white illumination gleamed through. When they parted, a dark form was partially visible. The creaking of wheels gave her away, however. Paige was still holding onto her IV stand. She clicked her fingers together and a blinding flash of orbs filled the cavern, sucking up the unnatural dust in its entirety.

"Mom?" Pam sniffled as she arose from the rubble. Her hand was cupped around her nose, but it was clear why as she neared the psychic Charmed One. Dark red blood was gushing from the cracks between her fingers, obviously from a very bloody nose.

"You should've warned us about that," Persia moaned. The explosion had pressed her against the wall, and a jagged rock had left a deep gash from the edge of her right eye brow to the top of her forehead. Blood trickled from the dirty wound, threatening to spill into her eyes.

"Leo?"

The whitelighter shifted uncomfortably, for he had a jagged rock embedded in his stomach, pinning him to the wall. "A little help here?"

Piper raised her hands.

"No!" Leo winced at the pain. "I mean, I think we've had enough explosions for one day." He looked pleadingly to his sister-in-law.

"Rock!" Paige hollered. She flexed her fingers as the heavy rock orbed into her palm, an she dropped it to the ground.

Leo also slid to the ground. The hole in his stomach magically sealed itself, as only darklighter poison could hurt him. "Ough."

"At least you can heal yourself," Pearl groaned from the corner of the cavern.

"Oh Goddess!" Paige gasped.

"I think I have a sprained ankle." The eldest Blessed One bit her lip in aggravation.

"I've got you." Cole dusted off his red dress shirt, clearing it significantly of debris. "Just hold still." He moved across the rocks and gently pulled his niece into his arms.

"Ow."

"Leo'll fix you up," he said as he moved back to his brother-in-law. "Which one is it?"

"The swollen one," Pearlinda groaned.

"This one," Leo said as he removed his niece's shoe. He silently noted how fat her ankle was. Possibly worse than a sprain; a break. He placed his hand over the black and blue ankle, releasing his classic healing power.

"Where's Raynor?" Phoebe suddenly asked. The sole purpose for the catastrophe came flooding back to her.

Piper brushed off her pants and crossed over the rubble, passing over to Raynor's quarters. The force field had been completely destroyed, as she did not even hear a hiss as she moved through the place where it had previously been. She just stood in the center of the room, searching for a lump that was their desired demon. Just as her stomach began to flip, making her wonder if he may have escaped, she spotted an arm under a pile of rock. She flicked her wrist, blasting the rocks away from the soul stealing demon. From her vantage point, he looked dead.

"Freeze him," Phoebe suddenly burst out.

Without questioning her little sister's wisdom, the timer froze their enemy where he lay. "Why?"

"He's weak," the psychic explained. "Near death. Just unfreeze his head."

"What exactly are we doing?"

"All better," Leo whispered to his niece as he slipped her shoe back on.

Cole lowered her to the ground. "Phoebe wants to overload his system with the emotional urge to summon Brianna back."

Paige shifted her weight uncomfortably. "Why can't you," she directed the question at Phoebe, "or Pam just take his power and summon her back?"

"We don't know where he's sent her," Phoebe explained. "He took her from the afterlife, but we don't know where he's holding her."

Paige leaned tiredly against the wall. "Right."

Phoebe stumbled over to Piper and stood above Raynor with a vicious desire in her eyes. She took a few deep breaths and then she focused on her sister. Her hand arched out and she envisioned the page in the Book of Shadows that contained Brianna's picture. _Come on! Work. Please, please work! _Several minutes passed, and soon a collective breath filled the room. The precognitive stood confused and angry. "Why isn't it working? It worked before! I mean, I was able to do it with you and Paige."

Piper placed a comforting hand on the side of each of Phoebe's arms, pulling her into a hug. "Shh. It's okay. It takes time to control power advancements, remember?"

"But that's just it, Piper! We don't have time!"

Paige's eyes seemed to twinkle. "Wait a minute! Wait just one goddamn minute!" She wheeled her IV stand over to Pam. "Pearl."

Pearl trucked over the debris and gently placed her hand over her cousin's blood covered nose and healed it almost instantaneously.

"What're you doing?"

Paige waved the question off, as she led her niece over to Raynor's frozen form. "Take his power."

"Paige, I already told you-"

"Just do it," the youngest butted in.

Pam placed a shaky hand to Raynor's arm, absorbing his power into her body.

"Unfreeze his head."

"How is this going to help us?"

"The Truth Spell, remember? I believe it not only works on people within the house, but people we come in contact with too, right?"

_**----Flashback----**_

_"You guys, I just wanted to see how Andy would react." _

_"What a way to come out of the broom closet," Phoebe chirped._

_"Are you nuts? We just need to, we need to lock the doors, call in sick, and stay in our own bedrooms until it just goes away." The timer looked aghast._

_"Hello, there's a demon on the loose and I still have to find that woman. Whoa, whoa. Wait a minute."_

_"A premonition?" Piper inquired._

_"No. An epiphany." Phoebe looked to hereldest sister."So you're telling me that everyone I ask a question to has to answer with the truth?"_

_"I think so, yes. But that also means if we get asked a question, we have to answer the truth," Prue warned._

_"I can work around that. This is cool. Very cool," the psychic announced before grabbing her coat from the foyer._

_**----Flashback----**_

"You're right," Phoebe breathed. "I completely forgot! I actually used that to my advantage where Andy was concerned."

"Okay, go."

Piper blinked her eyes and Raynor's head unfroze.

"Raynor," Paige growled. She kicked the demon, rolling him over and pressing her foot to his neck. "Where's Brianna and how do you summon her?"

Raynor's eyes squinted. He was strong enough to fight the demon, even in an almost fully frozen form. Unfortunately for the demon, Piper's magic was far more powerful. His mouth twisted, and through gritted teeth, he announced the deceased witch's whereabouts. "The astral plane."

Paige's eyes flashed to her remaining sisters. "The astral plane? How do we get to the astral plane?"

"We don't have to get to it. We just have to know where it is." Phoebe placed her hand on the back of her eldest daughter's neck.

Pam nervously laced her fingers together. "But how do I get Brianna, if I don't know where the astral plane is?"

"Answer the child!" Paige growled, digging her shoe deeper into Raynor's throat.

"Call upon her," the soul stealing demon choked.

"Literally?"

Raynor gasped, "Yes!"

Pam stretched out her arm. Her fingers curved into claw-like formation. "Brianna, I summon you from the astral plane!" A small dot of light appeared above her hand. It slowly grew and stretched until it became the size of a grapefruit.

Piper raised her hands threateningly. "How do we turn her into a physical form."

Pam waved her hand, dismissing the comment. "Nevermind. I think, maybe, I know." She backed up, and then positioned the palms of her hands together, horizontally. She narrowed her eyes and then swiped her right palm against her left, swinging it away and into a half circle against the surrounding air.

The white sphere seemed to implode on itself, before casting a blinding light upon the several pairs of eyes in the room. When the light vanished, an older woman stood before the young demoness-witch. She was about Paige's height, with wildly messy brown hair that extended down her back. She wore atight fitting blue, straplessEdwardian gown which hugged her bust and extended to cover her feet. A flashy shall draped over her shoulders and extended to create sleeves, all of which were made from airy silk and flashy red sequins. The finishing touch was a loose satin ribbon that wrapped around her middle, as a well placed sash.

"Brianna." Piper absently grabbed at Phoebe's arm.

"I know." Phoebe bit her bottom lip. Her hands were shaking under Piper's. _If her hair was black, she'd be the spitting image of Prue!_

"You look like Aunt Prue."

A harshness that had been in Brianna's features seemed to melt away. "Naturally, dear. My daughter was your aunt's past life." She scowled, and turned slowly to face Raynor. Her hand arched out before her, and she began to constrict his throat with her highly advanced telekinetic powers.

"Wait!" Paige held up her hand to stop her ancestor. "I've got a better idea." She waved her hand in a Prue-like fashion. "Sand!" A cloud of orbs materialized before Raynor's face and flew into the small slits in his nose, coursed down his nasal passages, and entered his lungs.

Raynoreyes bulged as he unfroze, and he grabbed at his chest as the debris from Piper's blast cut off his oxygen. His face turned a beat red, before he exploded outwards, leaving a fine powder on the three Charmed sisters, Brianna, and Pamela Turner.

Paige brushed away the dust, disgustedly. "Now what?"

Brianna Miller smirked coldly. "Ohanzee isn't that hard to vanquish, girls. You just have to know how."

"We already do. We just don't know how to find him," Cole spoke up.

Brianna's head whipped around towards the half demon. "You're a demon," she sneered. "You should have a fair idea of where a demon like Ohanzee would hide."

Cole stared at her in a loss.

"You'vebeen there yourself, Mr. Turner."

Cole's eyes widened. "But he's not dead!"

"He's a Shadow Demon. His rules aren't the same."

"Cole, what's she talking about?"

"She's talking about the Shadow Realm."

"The Shadow what?"

"The Shadow Realm," the half demon repeated. He moved nearer to the deceased Warren witch. "It's a dark realm that can be activated on All Hallow's Eve, between the land of the living and the dead. If a being can work its magic correctly, and navigate through the realm without being swallowed by the Shadow Guards that live there, then they can come back to life." Cole shifted his weight uneasily. "It's how the Grimlocks came back the night you were sent back in time to save Melinda Warren."

"How did you know about-" Phoebe shook her head. "Nevermind, I don't want to know."

"So how do we get to him, if we can't access it until Halloween?"

Brianna chewed her lower lip a moment, before murmuring, "Death."

Piper's eyes flickered dangerously. "Death? As in, a sacrifice?"

"No." Brianna's hands landed on her hips. "Death, as in the Angel of Death."

"No!" The cave shook as parts of the ground began to pop and explode, forming a giant crack in the dry earthen soil. "He took our sister," the current eldest Charmed One seethed. "We won't work with him again."

"Piper!"

Paige curled her fist. "You know we have to, Piper. We can't let this demon continue to kill innocent people!"

"I won't give Death the satisfaction, Paige. He's taken far too much from this family."

"This is beyond our feelings, Piper. Innocents will die, and that is unacceptable. We are the Charmed Ones. We are meant to protect them, whether you like it or not." The youngest turned her attention to Brianna. "How do you summon De-"

_**----Premonition----**_

_"Spirits of air, sand and sea, converge to set the Angel free, in the wind I send this rhyme, bring Death before me, before my time." Prue stood alone on the beach, waiting for her spell to finally bring the Angel of Death to her._

_As predicted, he appeared. "Are you sure you really want to be here?"_

_**----Premonition----**_

Pam reached out to touch her rigid aunt. "Aunt Paige?"

"The beach."

Piper and Phoebe exchanged looks. "The beach?"

Paige's entire body, IV included, morphed into orbs and traveled up through the rocky ceiling.

----

The salty air licked her face, as the pregnant Charmed One appeared on a desolate white sand beach. Her gaze flickered around, just to be sure that nobody had seen her. She doubted it, due to the fact that the waves had been choppy all week and not a soul had dared to test them.

Paige neared the salty water, which was lapping at the edge of the sand. She stopped, allowing her shoes to sink into the wet earth. Her mouth drew open and as the image of Prue replayed in her mind. "Spirits of air, sand and sea, converge to set the Angel free, in the wind I send this rhyme, bring Death before me, before my time!"

"Just like your sister."

Paige whirled around, finding a hulking black clad man behind her. "The Angel of Death?"

"Just call me Death." His voice was monotone. He studied the witchlighter. "You even look like her." He extracted a roll of paper from his coat pocket. "Your name isn't here," he mused. "What is it you require?"

"I'm not here to play games," Paige sneered. "I'm here to find out how I can gain entry to the Shadow Realm."

"The Shadow Realm?" Death smirked. "Why would a living, breathing..." His eyes looked her up and down. "And expectant witch, want access to my realm?"

"A demon is hiding there, and its our job to stop him." Her voice was almost as icy as the waves that washed ashore.

"Your shadow demon? Ohanzee?" He looked down at his list again. "The one who took the woman you found in the alley?"

"Yes."

"It will cost you."

The Charmed One stood defiant. "How much?"

"Too much."

----

"Paige!" Piper slammed the Book of Shadows closed. "Paige, you get your half whitelighter ass down here this minute!"

Brianna stalked across the room and fell onto the resident couch. "I haven't been on this couch in decades."

Pearl's jaw dropped. "You know the Pearl who had it?"

"Know her?" Brianna laughed. "The Pearl you speak of, was my mother."

Pearlinda gaped.

"Oh yes. In fact, I remember sitting on this very couch when she told Lola and myself that we might be the Charmed Ones."

Pearl's face screwed up in confusion. "What? Who's Lola? And why did she think you were the Charmed Ones?"

Brianna laughed. "The prophecy said that three sisters would be born. One with the power to move things with her mind, one with the power to stop time, and one with the power to see through time. I already had telekinesis. Lola, she was my baby sister, had the power to freeze. My mother was so excited when she found out she was pregnant with a third child. Until that point, nobody in the family had ever had more than one child since Phyre Warren."

"Phyre Warren?"

"You don't know who Phyre Warren is?" Brianna shook her head in dismay. "She was Charlotte and Beatrice's mother."

"Who's Beatrice?"

"Charlotte Warren's younger sister. From what my mother told me, she was cursed from the womb and born disfigured."

"How?"

"She only had one leg." Brianna smiled sadly. "Apparently, as lore goes, she spent the rest of her life using her power to help other disfigured people look as good as perfect as her power would allow."

"What was her power?"

"Biokinesis."

"I've never heard of it."

"Is it really that bad in this age?" Again, the deceased witch shook her head. "Biokinesis allows you to change the biology of people or animals, or what have you. For example, by running her hands over her hair, she could change it from red to brown."

"Oh!" Pearl grinned. "Like in 'The Craft'?"

"'The Craft'?"

"It's a movie that came out before I was born. It's about this coven of girls and one is evil and one is good and-"

"I get the idea," Brianna interrupted.

"So how come you and your sisters weren't the Charmed Ones?"

"Because Agnes was born with conjurative powers. We waited, but she never developed any type of clairvoyance." Brianna lightly brushed the sofa with her hand, as a wistful look flickered in her dark eyes. "She ending up turning against the family for a one, Timothy McBride though. He was an evil creature."

"Literally?"

"Yes. He convinced Agnes that he was our long lost, half brother on our father's side. She chose him over the family, and then came crawling back years later."

"Did you let her back?"

"Yes. But things weren't well between any of us after that. Even our grandmother was cold towards her, and Aggie had always been the closest of the three of us with her."

Pearl was about to respond, when a cloud of blue caught her attention. She craned her neck to her uncle orb in. "Do you know where she is?"

"The Elders say she's with Death, at the entrance of the Shadow Realm."

Brianna snorted. "I could've told you that!"

Leo glowered. "Then why didn't you?"

Brianna flipped a strand of her tussled hair. "Because you didn't ask."

Pearl jumped up. "Then let's go get her! Where is this Shadow Realm? How do we get there?"

"You'll need the demon."

"Cole?"

"That's the one."

"Why?"

"Because from what I hear, he has experience in shimmering through different planes. You'll need him to take you there."

"I'll go get him." Leo turned on his heel, ready to stomp out of the attic. Something about Brianna rubbed him wrong.

"But it won't do you any good."

"And why's that?" Leo growled.

"Because by now, I assume that Paige has already made a pact with Death. She'll be the only one allowed in. Unless, of course, you want to pay an even greater price."

"A greater price?" Chills ran up Leo's spine. "What do you mean? What kind of price?"

Brianna traced her fingers over the triple Goddess symbol, on the cover of the Book of Shadows. "You'll find out soonenough."

----

Paige hugged her arms, as she stood at the mouth of a pitch black cave. A chilling breeze was filtering out of its opening, and causing wave upon wave of goose pimples to assault Paige's porcelain skin.

"Your sisters can't help you now."

"I know."

"And once you go in, you can't turn back."

"I know."

"I've informed my Shadow Guards of your presence. They won't interfere with your quest."

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet." Death stared cooly at the whitelighter-witch. "Are you sure you really want to do this?"

Paige turned her head towards the Angel of Death, staring him directly in the eyes. "Yes."

"So be it." Death pointed towards the cave. "Go now, before I change my mind."

Paige swallowed hard, and stepped into the devouring darkness of the cave. The wheels of her IV creaked as she padded across the ground. She glanced back over her shoulder, only to see a faint shaft of light from the entrance. _He's gone. I'm alone._ She placed a hand on her swollen stomach and proceeded further, until she couldn't see at all.

**_TO BE CONTINUED..._**


	21. Death Takes A Belland

A/N: Wow. Not a lot of reviews last chapter. Are the lot of you guys not liking this? I apologize if that's the case.I had actually expected to end this subplot last chapter, but it decided that it didn't want to end there. Go figure. BTW, guess what! I'm working on setting up a website with the entire Warren family lineage, pertaining to THIS series. I'm almost done with it, and once I am, I'll be posting a link on my profile. :) 

_**Change Happens**_

**_Chapter 21: Death Takes A Belland_**

Paige pulled her IV closer to her side, as if it were her only support in the world. And in fact, being as alone as she was, it seemed to be just that. She didn't dare to step further into the tunnel without light. _A spell. I need a spell._ She began to rub her hands together in concentration. "Bring forth light where shadows dwell, expose a path for this Halliwell." 

She knew it wasn't the best of spells, just a shortened and reworded line from one of the spells Paige had found in the Book of Shadows during the time Piper had made her study it after discovering that she was a witch. However, when light exploded from seemingly nowhere and lit a path down the previously darkened tunnel, she figured it couldn't of been such a bad makeshift spell. She rubbed her belly again. "You'll help your good ol' Auntie Paige, right? You'll warn me if the bad Shadow Demon is coming after us?" 

---- 

"Whoa." Persia raked her hand through her long, brown locks. "It's a little barren." 

"Well it is Death's world." 

"And we're getting out of here as soon as possible," Phoebe jumped in. For miles, all she could see was shifting brown sands and a cold, gray sky. The air was old and still. In fact, it slightly reminded her of how limbo was before she and her sisters had freed An-Ling's grandfather. 

"Is that it?" Persia motioned her hand, indicating an ominous looking cave several yards away from them. 

Phoebe looked cautiously towards her husband. "Cole?" 

"Yeah." His strong body visibly stiffened. He'd never been to the place except for one Halloween, back in the twenties. Today was different, because souls from the afterlife weren't fighting to get through the Shadow Realm and into the world of the living. 

"Dad?" 

Cole's face softened, ever so slightly. "Yeah." He slid his arm around his step-daughter's petite shoulders. "Let's get this over with." Something deep down inside him was telling him not toproceed. He knew how much this meant to his wife and daughters, though. He had to. _I have to at least try._

---- 

Chase ruffled Prissandra's baby soft hair. "You are just the cutest little thing!" 

Prissandra cooed incessantly. She always seemed to squeal when Chase came over and played with her. 

"You know, you are so much better with kids than I am." 

Chase laughed. "I'm surprised. You're, what? The second oldest out of a bazillion kids?" 

"I'm third oldest out of my family's new generation," Phiona sighed. "But before Persia came into our lives, I grew up as the second oldest." 

"I see." Chase scooped Phiona's little sister into his arms and swung the child about. "So why aren't you more baby friendly? I mean, it seems as though you'd be great with them." 

"I dunno." The Blessed One blushed. "I feel awful that you're this great with kids, and you don't have cousins, let alone siblings." 

"Well there's-" 

"Real siblings." 

Chase expressed a snort of laughter. "I guess I just like kids." 

"Are you planning on having kids someday?" 

Chase tickled Prissandra's tummy, making her squeal. "I hope so. I think being a dad would be so much fun!" 

Phiona leaned across the back of the sofa, smiling as her friend performed a raspberry on her baby sister's stomach. "I think you'd make a great dad." 

"Really?" 

"Really." 

Chase just grinned. 

"Phi?" 

Phiona twirled on her heel, as her father came into the room. "Dad, is something wrong?" 

"Uhm, no. Actually, I was just looking for Andy and Pandora." 

"Oh, uh." Phiona squinted in remembrance. "Pandora came down here like, uhm, five minutes ago to get some orange juice for Uncle Andy." 

"They aren't in Prue's room." 

"They aren't?" Phiona crossed her arms in confusion. "She went right back upstairs." 

"Have you tried doing that locating thing that you do?" Chase popped up from playing with the toddler. 

"No. I was going to use that as a last resort." 

"Well maybe we should?" 

Leo stood unmoving for a minute, then his brow creased. "They're at the park." 

"The park?" 

"With Ohanzee loose? Why would he take Pandora there?" Phiona threw up her hands in a classic flustered way that she'd learned from her mother. "And how did they leave? It's not like it's that easy for them to just climb through the window." 

"Maybe Pandora cast a spell?" Chase suggested. "Like the one you cast to take us to Ms. Matthews." 

"Are you going to go bring them back?" 

Leo rubbed his chin in contemplation. "They don't seem to be in any trouble right now..." 

"So?" 

"So maybe I should wait until they call me." The whitelighter had a pretty good idea of where they probably were, anyhow. He didn't want to interrupt Andy's time with his daughter, unless it was absolutely necessary. 

"Where's mom?" 

"She's in the attic with Brianna and Pearl." 

"Brianna's still here? I thought she would've disappeared once we freed her." 

"Everything happens for a reason, Phiona. She might have to stay until Ohanzee is vanquished. He was how this whole thing got started in the first place, you know." 

"Right." 

"Something wrong?" 

Phiona chewed her lip. "No." 

"You know you can talk to me." 

"It's not that." Phiona flexed her fingers in frustration. "Look, can we just deal with this Shadow Demon mess first?" 

The blonde frowned. "Yeah, sure." He smiled sympathetically. "I'm just an orb away if you need me." 

"Thanks, dad." 

Leo passed a silent goodbye to Chase and orbed out, heading for the attic. 

---- 

"Ohanzee." Paige stopped short of rounding a corner. Up until that point, she hadn't felt or seen anything that could alert her to the demon's presence. But now icy shivers were crawling all over her body, from the sheer amount of pure evil that was near. On one hand, her ability to sense evil was good in the sense that it gave her fore knowledge. On the other hand, the evil that she could feel was almost too over whelming for her system. 

"You've dealt with Death." The voice seemed to hum from literally every open space in the cave. It was cruel. Cold and chilling to the bone. 

Paige turned slowly, making two parallel curved lines in the dirtwith her shoes, as she turned in a three hundred and sixty degree circle. "Show yourself." 

"And you've lost." 

"Are you too scared to come out and play?" Paige inched her hand towards the pocket of her over sized maternity top. "I said show yourself!" 

"Silly witch." Behind Paige, the ominous shadow slowly crept across the illuminated the walls of tunnel. 

"You've given up more than you know to come here." 

"I did what I had to do, to keep you from killing again." 

"Am I really worth your family?" 

"They aren't here. It's just you and me." 

"I could kill you right now." 

"Really? You seem to be all talk and no action." 

"I'm savoring your last breaths." 

Paige laughed mockingly. 

He struck. The Shadow Demon reached out menacingly towards the young witch's shadow, wrapping his shadow hands roughly around her slender neck. He watched as her physical body went rigid and struggled against his vice-like grip. 

Paige grabbed at her neck. Her mind screamed for oxygen. It felt as if her lungs were on fire. She couldn't orb. She couldn't concentrate enough to orb. He had her. He was going to kill her. Then she caught sight of their struggling shadows. Her mind flashed with a new idea. She focused her eyes on the wall, moving her hands towards her neck. This time, however, she mentally summoned something between her fingers. 

A cloud of flurry orbs deposited a jewel handled, double edged athame within Paige's hands. She could now see its shadow against the wall and with a swift motion, she slashed the knife just inches from her throat. It appeared to slash at nothing but air, but on the wall, she could see a dark liquid spray from the bulging fingers around her neck. She gasped. 

"Agh!" 

Paige touched one hand to her neck, rubbing the now swelling marks. With her other hand, she moved quickly across the wall. She was chasing after Ohanzee's shadow. The whitelighter Charmed One wanted so badly to call for her prey, but she knew that because there was nothing in the physical world to call upon, she couldn't do it. Then her eyes flashed. She flung her hand out in front of her, and the athame was already leaving her hand as she did so. 

Ohanzee moved with stealth. He was wounded now, and he knew the Charmed One had the upper hand. In his haste, he didn't see the cloud of orbs materialize up ahead. It wasn't until he was moments away, much too close to escape, did he see the shadow of the athame just inches from him. He let out a howl as the shadow of the athame punctured his dark chest. 

The athame dropped to the ground with a resounding clank. The whitelighter curled her white fingers into a fist and wrenched her arm to the side. The athame orbed from its resting place on the dirt floor and reappeared in mid air. Its shadow darted into Ohanzee's side, bringing forth another spray of shadow blood. 

The Charmed One moved in again, this time walking directly up to the shadow of the fallen beast and plucking the athame from the ground. Revenge danced in her pupils, as she struggled to bend down. Paige refused to allow her massive stomach to get in way. Nor the pulsating welts on her neck. Her fingers clutched her weapon of choice a little tighter, making her hands look scarily bony. Then a guttural howl emitted her throat as she raised her arm above the shadow on the wall. Suddenly her own shadow seemed to exude such power. Then she struck, plunging the shadow of the athame deep into her enemy's body. 

---- 

"What the hell?" Persia moved her hands slowly across the rocky wall. Only seconds ago, it had been a gaping opening of pitch blackness. 

"Cole." Phoebe tugged lightly at the cuff of her husband's shirt. "Throw an energy ball at it." 

Cole stepped back and held out his hand. A small yellow spark crackled above his palm, which slowly formed into a hissing sphere of pure neon yellow energy. He reared his arm back and cast the magical weapon at the rocky wall. He stared in visible surprise when it did absolutely nothing. No splinter of rock, no shake of Earth, not even a simple sound of energy clashing with something. It had simply been absorbed into the wall. 

"Maybe it's just me, but I'm pretty sure they don't usually do that," Persia voiced sarcastically. 

Pam glanced up at her older half sister, with a sneer on her face. "Ya think?" 

"Pam," the psychic growled through gritted teeth. She grabbed her youngest by the shoulder and pulled her to her side. 

"You can't enter." 

Phoebe whirled around to see an unusually tall being, dressed totally in black. In all honesty, his stoic features gave her the creeps. She was sure she knew who it was, though. "You don't look at all like your pictures." 

"And you don't have warty green skin." His voice was sarcastic, and frankly bored. He folded his arms over his meaty chest. 

"Why won't you let us in?" Persia met his gaze with an equally steely one of her own. 

"Because your aunt has done what she has come here to do." 

"Look," Phoebe sneered, "we have to help her vanquish that demon." 

"It isn't a Power of Three demon," the Angel of Death corrected. "You won't receive entry. Besides, you don't want to give up what she's given up." 

"And what was that?" 

"You'll find out when she does." 

Phoebe's eyes flickered. "She doesn't know?" 

Death was silent for a moment, then he plucked a paper from his pocket and glanced it over. "I told her it was something of great importance to her, and she agreed. I didn't have to tell her anymore." 

Phoebe's fists were curling. Her stomach was doing flips. "What have you done?" She ran towards the deathly being. 

Death was faster. He caught her by the arms and held her several inches from himself. "I haven't time for your games, witch. I have to go, and so do you." Then he was gone. 

Phoebe, having nothing to hold her up, fell forward. Her body hit the ground with a hard, bone crunching smack. Her eyes widened as a late burst of psychic energy flooded her mind. Then tears sprang instantly from her eyes as she pulled her wrist to her face and realized the time on her watch. 

---- 

A burst of shadow flames were visible on the wall of the cave. They lasted for several minutes. Shrieks of pain and agony echoed across the bare walls as Ohanzee experienced his last moments. Then with a final ear shattering boom, his shadow disappeared. 

Paige stared breathlessly for a moment, just staring at the wall where his shadow had just been. Then the entire cave returned to pitch black, as her spell had finally run its course. She returned her athame to her dress pocket, blindly reached for her IV stand, and then orbed home. She had no idea what lay ahead. 

---- 

Pearlinda touched the side of her mouth. A trail of dark cherry blood coated her fingers as she brought them back into her line of vision. She cringed. Her whole body felt like it was on fire. The pain in each one of her limbs was unbelievable. 

"Pearl!" 

The Blessed One struggled to keep her eyes open. Her vision was becoming blurred as blood gushed over her thick lashes and into her eyes. There was a high pitched ringing in her ears, which was cutting out the noise of her Aunt Piper's frantic voice. Her body slumped against the wooden wall of the Halliwell attic. She wasn't sure how much longer she could hold on. 

Then she heard footsteps. A scream. _Mom!_ With all her strength, she moved her hand across her bloody eyes and squinted through the curtain of blood. She could make out a figure running in front of her. A man. _No! Dad, don't!_ It was too late. He'd already become her human shield. Her mortal shield. He'd taken the energy ball that had been meant for her. Now she could faintly hear his shallow breathing. A cough. And then nothing. Through her bloody vision, she could see a shadowy being of unusual height by her father. _Dad!_

A faint apparition of Glenn Belland appeared next to the Angel of Death. He was clearly stunned, and quite confused. The mortal looked around. What he saw could've chilled his blood. His wife was on her knees, banging the floor with her fists, as she wailed for Leo. Turning, he could see Piper blasting a pack of demons across the room. But what was the most surreal for him, was his own body at his feet. 

"It's time." 

Glenn stepped back, staring wide eyed at Death. "Who are you?" 

"The one who's hear to take you to your afterlife." 

"A-afterlife?" Glenn shook his transparent head. "Oh no. You've got the wrong man!" He moved back, not realizing that he'd literally walked through Paige. 

"Oh really? Look at yourself." 

Glenn looked down. He realized he was dressed in all white clothing. White jeans, a white dress shirt, even white shoes. "No fuckin' way!" 

Death waved his arm and a swirling portal appeared before them. "You have to come with me, it's your time." 

Glenn turned, staring down at his bawling wife. He could see that Leo was there now, with his hands over a bloody wound on his body.A woundthat wasn't on his transparent self. "Leo..." 

Leo looked mournfully at Paige. His hands were shaking as he pulled them away. "I'm so sorry, Paige. I..." His voice cracked as he turned his head away from his brother-in-law's lifeless form. "I can't heal the dead." 

**_TO BE CONTINUED..._**


	22. For Whom The Belland Tolls

A/N: I don't know about you, but I've had an awful time signing in lately. FFN kept giving me a "Web Site Not Responding" message. Anywho, yay for updates! I won't be able to update for the next week, though. (I'm leaving for Las Vegas on Tuesday morning.) So please enjoy! (And Peanut, I'm glad to know you're back. I really think you'll like a couple scenes in this chapter.) 

_**Change Happens**_

**_Chapter 22: For Whom The Belland Tolls_**

Death motioned impatiently towards the swirling portal. "Hurry! I haven't time to sit around and wait for you." He waved his list at the ghost. "Death is occurring all over the world and I have to be there!" 

Glenn placed a transparent hand to his cheek, wiping away a clear tear. He reached out for his wife, attempting to place his hand on her quivering shoulder. Instead, his hand moved right through her. 

Paige turned her head. Her face was burning red and sopping with tears. Her dark hair was plastered to her face as she wept over her husband's lifeless form. She'd felt something just a moment ago. Or at least she thought she had. Nothing was there, however. She couldn't see anything. 

Glenn looked up, his lashes now wet and sticking together. "Where am I going?" 

"Just step through the portal," Death instructed. He motioned again to the portal. 

Glenn stood for a moment, just staring in silence. Then he stepped forward. He was literally weightless. A ghost. To him, however, every step felt like he was a block of cement. His mind was reeling and his heart was aching. He was walking away from everything he'd ever known; everything he'd ever loved. 

He was at the portal now, staring into its swirling depths. He could see nothing. What awaited him on the other side was a mystery. He glanced back over his shoulder as his bawling wife. Now both her and his daughter were at his body, as Leo had healed Pearl just minutes ago. He blinked back the tears and stepped forward. 

"Stop!" 

Death reeled around. His eyes were as bright as fire. 

"Let him go, Death." 

The Angel of Death clenched his teeth together. "The witch made a deal, and it must be honored." 

A plump white man stood just inches from Glenn Belland's body. He had fluffy, snow white hair and a round button nose. His eyes were a calm, sea gray and his skin was softly wrinkled. The old man was draped in white robes, trimmed in golden silk. Although he exuded all that was kind and forgiving, his also presented a strong aura of authority. 

"You can't do this," Death growled. "Death is infinite! You can't interfere." 

The plump man looked towards the ceiling. "I can, and I will. You know destiny has authority over death." He narrowed his gaze at the dark clad angel. "You will let the mortal go." 

Death held the man's gaze, not moving a muscle. 

"This is a direct order." He moved towards the Angel of Death, his gray eyes sparking. "I am the Angel of Destiny, and I have far more authority than you do." He lifted his plump hand, pointing towards Glenn. "Mr. Belland's destiny is not over. It is my duty to see that he fulfills it." 

Death crossed his arms smugly. "Prudence's destiny wasn't over either, but you didn't intervene in the Charmed One's case, yet you intervene for a mere mortal? What kind of sense does that make, Destine?" 

The Angel of Destiny pulled his head a little higher. "That is none of your concern, Death. You are to follow the orders I'm giving you now." 

"I want to know what's going on." 

Destine elicited a throaty growl. "Enough!" He waved his hand and Glenn's spirit began to glow white, before it was literally sucked back into its limp body on the floor. His index finger whipped out towards the Angel of Death. "You've just been relieved of your duty!" In the same fashion that Glenn's soul had been sucked into his body, the Angel of Death was vacuumed into his own swirling portal. Destine clicked his fingers. He and Death's portal vanished. 

Suddenly Glenn gasped, and his body jolted upwards. 

"Oh my Goddess!" Paige jumped back in shock and surprise. "Pearl. Pearl!" He hand began to wave incessantly at her husband's body. "Heal him, heal him!" 

Pearl's hands hovered instantly above her father's bloody shirt. The blood had begun to dry a while ago, forming a large black ring around the spherical wound. It began to disappear, however, when a warm golden glow began to spray from her hands, unlike when Leo had tried. 

Piper pulled herself away from her husband's chest. She'd buried her face into the crook of Leo's neck, mourning the loss of her brother-in-law. Now she was as wide eyed as Paige. "Leo, how?" 

Leo shook his head. His brow was darkly creased. He had no idea. If he couldn't heal Glenn, it made no sense for him to be able to just resurrect. Not even magical creatures could do that! 

Paige wrapped her arms around her husband. The position was highly uncomfortable, as her large belly was getting in the way. She didn't care, though. All she was thankful for, was to have her husband back. 

Glenn scratched his head, unsure of why Paige was hugging him so tightly. "Paigey?" 

"Thank goodness you're okay." She kissed his lips. 

"What happened?" 

That seemed to pull her back to reality. She looked confused. "What's the last thing you remember?" 

Glenn looked around. The entire Halliwell family seemed to be in the attic. "I, uh, I jumped in front of an energy ball." 

"That's all?" 

Phoebe, who'd shimmered back with Cole only seconds after Leo had announced Glenn's death, now moved in closer. "You don't remember anything? You didn't see a man in black?" 

Glenn shook his head. "I saw an energy ball and then black." 

Phoebe placed her hands to her lips. In her vision, she'd seen Glenn die by the energy ball. She'd also seen him and the Angel of Death walk into death's portal together. _It doesn't make any sense!_ She activated her empathy. The feelings in the room were so intense that it almost knocked her off her feet, literally. _But he's telling the truth._

"Phoebe," Piper motioned her little sister over. "Come see if you can get a vision." 

Phoebe came hesitantly. She couldn't place her finger on it, but something was definitely amiss. She touched Glenn. Nothing. 

Glenn looked down at his healed chest. "Maybe where my wound was?" 

Phoebe nodded and placed her hand over the previously bloody stain. Again, nothing. She looked up forlorn. "I'm sorry." 

"But this just doesn't make sense!" 

Glenn cocked his head at Piper, waiting for a plausible explanation. 

"You died, Glenn," Leo intervened. "I couldn't heal you. You were gone. Dead." 

"But then-" 

"I don't know." The male whitelighter glanced to his wife. 

Piper still clung to Leo. Her lashes were slowly drying into a matted mess. "You just suddenly woke up. Resurrected." 

"Not that that doesn't make me happy, but I feel like you're not glad to see me." 

Paige gripped her husband's arm in the horror of his words. "How could you ever say that?" 

"You just keep asking why, instead of being thankful that it happened. Whatever 'it' was." 

Paige sniffled. "I'm sorry."

Glenn smiled softly, and placed his hand on the back of her neck. He pulled her close and just held his pregnant wife within his warm arms. "Shh. It's okay. Everything's fine." 

Leo shifted uncomfortably. _I don't like this._ He kissed Piper and whispered, "I'm going to check with The Elders." 

The timer nodded, and gave her angelic husband another peck on the lips. "Hurry back." 

Brianna paced awkwardly around the attic. Then she stopped, cocked her head back, and looked at the ceiling. "I guess my work here is done." She walked over to the Belland's and offered a sympathetic smile. "I don't know about you, but I'm guessing a higher power was at work here." She patted Paige's arm. "You'd better enjoy it while it lasts, girl. You can't stay mad at the people you love, because you don't always get a second chance." She turned to Pearl and offered a small wink. "And you,I know you're destined for great things. I can see it in your eyes. You just stay on the right track and you'll be fine." 

"Thanks," Pearl choked. "Will you tell your mom 'hi' for me? And, uhm, thanks for the name?" 

Brianna elicited a hearty laugh. "Definitely." She turned, glancing at her distant family. "Blessed be." And with those words, her body faded back to the afterlife. 

Pearl was silent for a moment, then whispered, "Blessed be." 

Phoebe looked between her sisters, and then back at Cole. She knew that the current situation was important, but she also knew that there was something equally important that had been eating away at her husband for years. She swallowed as she walked over to Piper and whispered, "Do you mind if I go? There's something really important that I have to do." 

Piper rubbed her sister's arm. "Leo probably won't be back for a while. Go ahead." 

Phoebe smiled thankfully, and hurried back over to Cole. "C'mon, let's go get Pam. We've got something to take care of." She looped her arms around her husband's neck and leaned into his strong chest. Soon she felt his arms encircle her, and then the familiar sensation of shimmering over took her and then they were gone. 

---- 

"What're we doing here?" Pam asked, as she swatted away dust particles that were tickling her nose. She knew the crumbling mausoleum should've made her feel uneasy, but for some reason she felt completely safe. 

The clairvoyant knelt down in front of her daughter, and took Pam's hands in her own. "Daddy and I need you to do something for us. Something very, very important." 

"Pam?" Cole approached his daughter, and he too knelt to her eye level. "Do you remember the stories I told you about Grandpa Benjamin?" 

"You dad?" 

Cole nodded. 

"Yes." 

"Well, what I didn't tell you is that a long time ago, a very bad demon trapped him. The same demon who took Brianna." Cole held out the small case that he'd shown Phoebe earlier that day. 

"What's that?" 

"It's where his soul is." 

"But I thought the demon took him?" 

"I got his soul back, but I had to wait for you. You're the only one who can set him free." 

"You mean to the afterlife?" 

"Exactly." Cole flipped open the box and the sphere of white light floated out. Cole blinked back a tear when he saw the sphere float to Pam, as if it knew exactly what was happening and who Pamela was. 

"Grandpa?" Pam held out her palm, and the sphere settled safely above it. She smiled. "Dad, what am I supposed to do?" 

"Just tell him that you release him. Tell him that he's free." 

Pam nodded and held up her hand. "You're free, Grandpa Ben." 

The light floated from Pam's hand and ascended higher into the air. Then it seemed to expand outwards into a bright white starburst. For only a fraction of a second, the face of a man who looked a lot like Cole appeared within the light. He was smiling at Pam. "Thank you." 

Cole wiped his eyes as he moved behind his daughter and scooped her into his arms. Then he placed one arm around his wife and pulled her close to his side. Without Phoebe and Pamela, his father never would have been freed. "Bye, dad." 

---- 

Andy legs drifted back and forth, as if completely limp, as they hung off the edge of a wooden swing in Golden Gate Park. Despite the hot sun, he was dressed in a black leather jacket and dark blue jeans. His daughter was in his lap, pressed securely against his chest. And out of the corner of his eye, the widowed man could see the golden glint of his wedding band glowing in the sun's bright rays. 

Sitting on the swing, their swing, he had almost everything that reminded him of his long lost wife. Except for Paige, who now carried his and Prue's unborn child. Half of his screamed to have her their with them, but the other half couldn't bare it. The mistakable resemblance between them was almost too much for Andy to bare. And it didn't stop at physical features. They're personalities were also so much alike. 

Asoft fingertouchedAndy's cheek. "Don't be sad, daddy." 

Andy opened his eyes to meet the bright eyes of his young 5-year-old. He pulled her hand into his and laced his fingers with his daughter's. "I'm sorry baby. Am I upsetting you?" 

Pandora's head bobbled. "When you is sad, me too." 

Andy ran his hand through the witchling's fine, raven hair; Prue's hair. He stroked the side of her face. She looked so much like Prue. 

_**----Flashback----**_

_"I wanna show you somethin'!" An 8-year-old Prue clasped her hands together, and her eyes seemed to twinkle in the summer sunlight._

_Andy, also 8-years-old, crossed his arms. He was standing in the middle of a sandbox in Golden Gate Park, wearing a flashy cowboy outfit. "What is it?"_

_"Come with me."_

_"I don't know..." Andy glanced over his shoulder. From his vantage point, he could see Prue's grandmother reading a newspaper on a park bench and a few yards from her he could see a 6-year-old Piper pushing a 3-year-old Phoebe in the baby swing. "What if your Grams gets mad?"_

_"She won't," Prue insisted. She was visibly getting a little more irritated now. She folded her arms and narrowed her eyes. _

_He flinched at the look, remembering the look all too clearly. He thought it strange how things always used to fall over or switch places when she did it, just a few years earlier. But after Phoebe had been born, she never really squinted her eyes much and when she did, nothing strange happened. Never the less, he glanced around just to make sure. "Oh-okay, I guess." He shuffled across the sand, making the brown dust swirl around his dirty white boots, and then he hopped over the wooden edge and landed next to his best friend. "Where we goin'?"_

_Prue giggled mischievously. She grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the sandbox, heading towards a thick clump of trees on the other side of the park. It took her only three minutes to drag Andy all the way there, and when they finally stopped, she was panting for breath._

_"It's just trees," Andy snorted. "What's socool about trees?"_

_Prue rolled her blue eyes. "It's not trees, dumby." She squirmed behind a clump of green bushes, wiggled under some limbs, and then reached out and pulled her best friend through. "Look!"_

_Andy glowered at her, as he brushed from stray leaves out of his brown hair. "What?"_

_Prue held out her arm, her index finger pointing directly at a beautiful white swing, hanging from some thick branches._

_"What is it?" Andy's interests had been peaked._

_"It's a swing!" Prue nearly yelled. "C'mon!" She ran ahead of him and bounded onto the swing, propelling it backwards._

_"I dunno, Prue. What if it's someone else's swing?"_

_"Andy!"_

_Andy trudged over to the swing, grabbed onto one of the metal chains keeping it hanging, and yanked it to a stop. "Okay...But if we get in trouble, I'm telling your Grams that it was your idea!"_

_The Halliwell child just rolled her eyes, and patted the empty space next to her._

_Andy climbed into the swing and let a small smile grace his lips, as he began to pump his legs._

_"Told ya it'd be fun!" Prue folded her arms proudly. It was always the stance she gave when she wanted a person to know that she was right, and they were wrong._

_Andy turned his head away. "Whatever." He closed his eyes, but no sooner had he done so, did he feel Prue's head on his shoulder. He craned his neck, glancing at Prue, who looked perfectly content to fall asleep right there as she leaned into him. Andy Trudeau just smiled._

_**----Flashback----**_

Andy's thoughts were interrupted by a soft murmuring of breath. He looked down, seeing that his young daughter was leaning against his chest with her head softly bedded on his arm, sleeping peacefully. He could feel the prick behind his eyes, as a floodgate of salty droplets formed. Then it broke. The cleansing tears tore down his cheeksin a raging river of grief and pain. 

---- 

Piper sat on Pearl's couch, with her knees pulled to her chest and hidden under a gray wool blanket, when she felt her husband orb in next to her. She turned hopefully to him. 

Leo's eyes displayed nothing. He wrapped his arms around his wife and gently kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry, Piper. They didn't know anything." 

"Or didn't tell you." 

"What?" Piper shook her head. "I just can't stop thinking about what Brianna said."

"And that was?" 

"That she thought a 'higher power' was behind Glenn coming back." 

"A higher power?" Leo scratched his head. "There isn't a lot that's more powerful than The Elders." 

"Do you know who is?" 

"The Angel of Destiny, for one. And there are others, but I don't know who they are. They all work for a supreme being, that nobody has ever seen or met." 

"A supreme being? Like God?" 

Leo shook his head. "No. It's a female. All life stems from females, you know? Males, well, we're pretty much a genetic mess up. 'A mutated woman,' is howone of myfellow whitelighters put it. You know, with only onex chromosome and all?"He waved his hand. "Anyway, I'm going off topic.What I mean is, if ittruly is a higher power, then maybe they didn't even tell The Elders aboutit?" 

Piper shrugged. _Maybe Leo is right? But then again,They haven't been fully honest with him in the past._

----11:55 P.M.---- 

Phoebe paced living room. Her cell phone had been ringing none stop since eleven o' clock. _Elise_, Phoebe inwardly groaned. She'd been trying to think of a story to tell her boss all day long. Finally, she thrust her hand into her back pocket and retrieved her cell. She flipped it open and placed it to her ear. "H-hello?" Her eyes squinted as the shrill voice of a panicked Elise came barreling through the phone. "Oh, Elise! Hi." She knelt down at her coffee table, examining a large pickle jar that Elise's toad niece was sitting in. 

"Well, actually, we uhm..." Her voice wavered. She glanced down at her watch. 11:58 P.M. "We went out for some drinks," she finally blurted out. Crossing her fingers she added quickly, "And I guess Eliza had one too many. She really didn't want you to know about it, Elise. I promised I wouldn't say anything." She was desperately hoping that Elise wouldn't follow with any questions, as Piper's Truth Spell was still in effect. She couldn't risk telling her boss what had really happened. She listened to Elise's shallow groans on the other end of the line. "And that's why I haven't answered your calls," she pressed on. "She was just going to spend the night at my house, and I was going to take her back to work with me in the morning." 

Again, she looked at her watch. _One minute until she's supposed to turn back._ Phoebe wrapped her fingers around the metal lid of the pickle jar, and unscrewed it. She tilted the lid and gently let the warty toad slide onto the carpet. "Hey, Elise, I really have to go." She placed the jar back on the table. "Right. I'll see you bright and early tomorrow. Bye!" She flipped her phone closed, without waiting for her boss to respond. Apparently she'd chosen her lies correctly, because Elise didn't seemed surprised to hear that Eliza had drunk too much. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a green hue. She gave a small sigh of relief. 

The green hue enveloped the fist sized toad, and began to expand outwards. Slowly, it elongated and formed into the lengthy woman whom Phoebe had met that morning. Her skin, however, still held an almost green tinge. 

_I wonder if she's sick, or if the spell is still lingering?_ The Charmed One mused. 

Eliza's eyelashes batted, and she placed a feigned hand to her head. "Wh-where am I?" 

Phoebe crossed her arms, as she leaned over the woman. "You're at my house." 

"Y-your house?" Eliza Fields looked around in horror. "How the hell did I get here?" 

"I drove you. What's the last thing you remember?" Phoebe slid her hand into her pocket, lightly tapping a bag of whitelighter dust that Leo had loaned her, just incase Eliza remembered what had happened during the spell. 

"I, uh," she squinted her eyes. "I don't know. I remember my aunt telling me that you'd show me around the city." 

"Ah, yes." Phoebe smiled, satisfied. "So you don't remember us hitting a few bars?" 

Eliza frowned. _I would never go to a bar with her!_ She scratched her head. _Right?_

"So I take that as a 'no'?" 

Eliza nodded numbly. 

"Well in short, you had one too many and passed out. I drove you to my house to let you sleep it off." 

Again, she nodded. Something still felt amiss, but she couldn't remember a thing. "What time is it?" 

"Just past midnight." 

"Midnight? Oh no! Aunt Elise will be furious!" 

"Relax. I already talked to her. I told her you're staying here tonight. We have several spare rooms. My husband's already prepared one for you." 

As if on cue, Cole walked into the room. He had not been too happy about preparing a room, especially for someone he knew his wife despised. He knew, however, that keeping their secret was far more important. "Ms. Fields?" He walked over, held out a hand, and helped the wretched woman to her feet. 

Eliza's cheeks flushed. "Hello, Mr..." 

"Turner. Cole Turner." Cole motioned towards the hallway. "This way. I'll show you to your room." 

Eliza grinned. "Thank you." As he walked out with their new guest, he glanced over his shoulder and glared at his wife. 

'Thank you,' she mouthed. Her lips formed into an adorable smile that she knew her husband couldn't resist. As they disappeared down the hallway, she heaved a sigh of relief and dropped onto the sofa. 

----Next Morning---- 

A hand stretched through the cracks between the double doors of the courthouse. It was formed into a fist, and then the fingers jetted out and the hand curved in a semi-circle. The entire room grounded to a halt. 

At that moment, the doors swung open to reveal Piper. She pulled back her outstretched arm and began to march down the center isle. "C'mon, let's get this over with. I've got some plans with Paige, and she's probably already there." 

Cole nodded, and swung the heavy double doors closed. He picked up his brief case and followed his witchly sister-in-law down the center of the room. 

"Wait!" Piper spun around, waving her hand at Cole. "Maybe you should go stand at the back of the doors. Open them, actually. So when I unfreeze things, it looks like you're just walking in." 

"Right." Cole moved back to the doors. 

Piper, on the other hand, burst through the swinging gate and stopped at the pair behind the frozen defense table. She reached intothe pocket of her white jeans and yanked out a vial of a standard binding potion. A little research in the Book of Shadows had proved that the Defense Attorney was a low level demon who used his magical connections to get high profile criminals off of whatever crime they had committed, in exchange for his access to their successful companies in the mortal world. 

Piper was amused by the fact that demons actually needed mortal connections to gain clout in the real world. _After all_, she mused, _they don't exactly follow the rules for personal gain._ But then again, they did need mortal money to put demons like Cole through law school. Finally, she shook away her thoughts and slammed the vial at the low level demon's feet. She would've preferred to vanquish him right then and there, but it would raise too many questions, and possibly even endanger Cole. 

The timer stepped back as a haze of purple smoke whirled around the demonic defense. She snickered at the alliteration. "Okie dokie, all done." The witch moved back down the isle and past Cole. "Have fun." 

Cole rolled his eyes. "Thank you, Piper." 

"No problem." Just before she closed the door, she added, "And if you need me to vanquish him, just call." 

"I don't think that'll be a problem," the half demon replied earnestly. "I'll see you later." As the door shut, the room unfroze and he moved down the isle. He knew he'd win this case. He could smell it. _Or perhaps_, he sniggered, _it's the leftover potion._

---- 

Tyler rounded the corner of the crowded hallway. He was panting as he reached Persia's locker. He held up his cell phone, displaying a glowing screen with a text message on it. "You," he placed his hand to his stomach as he tried to catch his breath, "rang?" 

"Actually, I texted." The electrokinetic closed her locker and leaned against it. "I wanted to talk." 

Tyler nodded eagerly. 

"Look, I've thought a lot about what you said." She raked a hand through her hair. "And I want to be friends again too." 

"So does that mean-" 

"Let me finish." Persia placed her finger over the boy's lips, quieting him. "But I really need people I can trust." She watched his face fall. "People who can trust me too. Not someone who's going to trick my baby cousin." 

"I know," he breathed. "And I know that you know how sorry I am." 

Persia nodded. She placed her hand to his wrist. "I'm going to give you one more chance. But that's all, Tyler. If you break my trust again, it's over. Everything will be over. Do you understand?" 

The Firestarter nodded. This was what he'd been waiting for. "Yes, and I swear I'll never do anything like that ever again!" He literally scooped the teen witch into his arms and swung her around. "Thank you!" 

---- 

"Paige! Paige!" Piper came running up the sidewalk with a sorrowful look on her face. "I'm so sorry I'm late. I had to help Cole with some demons at the courthouse." 

Paige crossed her arms. "You mean you took out everyone except the judge?" 

"Haha." Piper motioned towards the glass door of the ice cream shop. "So, shall we try this again?" 

"Gladly." Paige walked past her sister. "Hey look, no line!" 

"Guess it's our lucky day." 

"You know, I did find a penny today." 

"Lucky penny, lucky day, doesn't seem like much of a coincidence, does it?" 

Paige shook her head as she told the man at the counter her and Piper's orders. 

"So did you check out that store while you were waiting?" 

Paige shook her head. "I thought about it, but I decided that I'd rather do it with you." 

Piper was grinning before she even realized it. "Really?" 

"Mhmm." Paige accepted the ice cream cones and handed one to Piper. As she reached for her purse, she felt Piper slap her hand. "Hey! What was that for?" 

"I'm paying, remember?" Piper slapped a ten onto the counter. "Keep the change." She grabbed her baby sister's hand and pulled her out the door, bringing them to a small table just outside the shop. It was one of two, on either side of the door. Both had a cute little umbrella shade and two chairs. She pulled out a seat for Paige, and then took the other. 

"Wow, someone's in a good mood," the youngest commented. She placed her lips to her cold ice cream and elicited a soft moan. "Mmm!" 

"So you like it?" 

"Am I Charmed?" 

"Yes, and yes." Piper pulled a tissue from her pocket and leaned over the table, dabbing the corner of Paige's mouth. "You also had chocolate fudge on your face." 

Paige rolled her eyes. "You know, Piper, I am a grown woman." 

"But you're still my little sister," the elder countered. "And besides, I never got to do that for you when we were kids." She laughed as a distant look washed over her eyes. "I always used to wipe Phoebe's face when Grams would bring us here to get ice cream." 

"You guys used to come here as kids?" 

Piper nodded, taking a lick of her scoop. "Almost every Saturday afternoon at twelve-thirty, on the dot." 

"It must've been really nice." 

"Mhmm. I would always get strawberry, Prue would havevanilla, and Phoebe would talk Grams into a double scoop of chocolate." 

"There's Phoebe for ya." Paige rolled her eyes as she slid her tongue over the cold treat. 

"Hey, there's something I've been wanting to ask you." 

Paige quirked her brow, waiting for Piper's question. 

"You know how you said you had two turtles as a kid?" 

Paige nodded. 

"What were they're names?" 

Paige lurched forward in an obnoxious burst of laughter. "You'll laugh." 

"Oh really?" Piper narrowed her eyes playfully. "If you tell me yours, I'll tell you mine." 

Paige tapped her nails on the glass surface of the table, and then finally relented. "Rumple and Stiltskin." 

Piper's cone flew from her hand as she started laughing. Moments before it could touch the ground, however, it became suspended in mid air. She leaned over the side of her chair and grabbed it from its frozen place, about an inch above the cement sidewalk. "Wow. And I thought my names were bad." 

Paige glared playfully. "Okay, I told you about my turtles. Now spill, sister." 

"I had a really playful pair of turtles when I was young. I mean, they acted so much like a little couple, that I really thought they were gonna have babies. I would get up early every morning and check the tank, just to see if there were any baby turtles." 

"And lemme guess, one day there were?" 

"Not exactly." Piper's cheeks flushed. "One day we took Daisy and Duke-" 

"Daisy and Duke? As in Jessica Simpson, Daisy Duke?" 

"No! As in Chatherine Bach, from the original 'Dukes of Hazzard' television show. I was a huge. I always wanted to look like Daisy Duke when I was little." 

Paige rolled her eyes. "I think you look better as a brunette." 

"Thannks." 

Paige waved her on. "So you took Daisy and Duke where?" 

"To the pet shop. I begged Grams to take me, so I could ask how to make my turtles have babies. And they told me that Daisy wasn't actually a Daisy." 

Paige's eyes popped. "Daisy was a boy?" 

"Yeah. But Duke was well named." 

"Oh my Goddess! You had a Brokeback Tank!" 

"Exactly!" Piper shook her head in embarrassment. "You should've seen the look on Grams' face. She knew what was going on, but Ididn't understand." 

"What'd she tell you?" 

"That everything happens for a reason." 

"And what do you think the reason for you having gay turtles was?" 

Piper was silent for a minute, and then she reached her arm across the table and placed her hand over Paige's. "So that I could share that story with you today." 

Paige just stared. She didn't know what to say, so she didn't. It was the closest she'd felt to Piper since finding her sisters. She finally felt at peace. She did have a place in the Halliwell family, and she could finally see and feel it now. 

_**TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	23. Charm3d

A/N: Chyp, Leo's comment wasn't supposed to be an insult to men. He was trying to make a joke by saying that men are a genetic mess up, because they only have one x chromosome instead of two. Not that they are literally screw ups/pigs/jerks/etc... And I also apologize about the words squishing together. I can't figure out how to make them stay separate. I type them spaced out, but once they upload into the editor on FFN, they start sticking together. I go through and try to put a space between the ones I catch, but it only ends up sticking others together after I press "save." If anyone has suggestions, I'd be more than happy to try them out. (P.S. This chapter is a play on that one show, _Numb3rs_.) 

**_Change Happens_**

_**Chapter 23: Charm3d**_

Her dark blonde hair was pulled into a high ponytail, and the ends trailed down and stopped just above her shoulders. Her neck had a strip of black satin curving around, and heading back down the front side. It was obviously part of a black halter top. 

Her back was completely bare except for a massive black scorpion tattoo that extended from the beginning of her neck all the way down to her lower back, just above her waist. It had two large claws and several spiny legs, as well as two giant feelers from its head. Each arm, just several inches above her elbows, also had a double ringed black tattoo that encircle them. Small scorpion claws appeared to hang from the lower ring, spread out evenly, on each arm. 

Turning around, her luscious red lips were visible, as well as her the tight fitting black satin dress that hugged her curvy form. The top of the dress hung down eye catchingly low. Any lower and there wouldn't of been anything left to the imagination. A silver scorpion pendant hung at the center of her chest; each of its large claws were carved of solid ruby. 

The mysterious woman stood before a classic black cauldron, which was nearly overflowing with a frothy red substance. She reached around the pot, grabbing a small jar of what appeared to be slimy eyeballs, and drew one out. She stared at it for a moment, noting that it appeared to be wide with terror, and then she plopped the green irised eyeball into her pot. It hissed as she slid the jar back into place 

"Is it complete, Scorpia?" 

"No," she replied icily. Scorpia hadn't even turned around to look at the crooked minion behind her. "I still need the blood of the one who cast the spell." 

The minion bowed his wrinkled head, and stepped back into the shadows. His yellow eyes gleamed. "I'll retrieve it." 

"You'd better," Scorpia growled. "There is a price to pay if you don't please me." She pulled a black ladle from the frothy substance, and let it drain back into the cauldron. She proceeded to stir her concoction lovingly. 

---- 

"Phoebe!" Piper flung out her hands, freezing an fireball just inches from her little sister's face. 

"Thanks," the psychic hollered over the crash of her foot connecting with a demon's jaw. She grabbed the demon by his lapels and swung him with all her force into the frozen fireball, instantly incinerating him. She jumped into a fighting stance and wiggled her fingers to the next in line. "Come n' get me!" 

Piper's hands rose again, but as she emitted her explosive power, the demon dove out of her line of fire. Consequently, her power hit the television and a mushroom cloud of black smoke erupted from it. "Damnit!" She'd already tried her other two powers on the demons, but they seemed to be immune to such tactics. All she was left with was her explosive power, but they were too agile for her to catch them with it. 

"Behind you!" Phoebe dove at her sister, knocking them both to the ground as a fireball flew over their heads and crashed through one of the stained glass windows. "They're pack demons," she whispered. "The only way to vanquish them all is if we get the pack leader, otherwise more will just keep coming." 

"So what do you propose we do?" Piper hissed. She pulled to her feet, helping Phoebe up after her. 

Instead, Phoebe grabbed onto her sister's shoulders and levitated them to the ceiling. "First we avoid those fireballs," she replied as she watched one glide under their dangling feet. "And then we get out of here." 

"Won't they follow us?" 

"We should have at least a little bit of time," the precognitive assured. 

Piper cupped her hands around the sides of her mouth. "Leo!" 

Orbs swarmed next to the sisters, formulating into her husband. A cloud of orbs still hovered around him as he orb-levitated next to Phoebe and his wife. "What are you guys do-" Suddenly his face creased with pain and then his body exploded into orbs, as a fireball hit his back. Moments later, the whitelighter reappeared. 

Piper, not wasting another moment, latched onto her husband's collar. "Orb, orb, orb!" 

Not wanting to be hit by another misdirected fireball, Leo orbed the three of them out without further question. 

---- 

"What the hell was that about?" Leo groaned, as he appeared in The Villa with Phoebe and Piper. He wiggled out of Piper's grasp and rubbed his back where he'd been hit. 

"Oh stop being a baby," Phoebe grumbled. 

"Hurry, we need to know where Paige is." 

"Paige? You need her?" 

Phoebe and Piper eagerly nodded. "Without her, we can't vanquish the Thorax." 

"Thorax?" Leo looked bemused. "That sounds like something out of Dr. Seuss." 

"Did that feel like something out of Dr. Seuss?" Piper asked, slapping her husband's back. 

"Ow!" Leo glowered. "Why didn't you just call her?" 

"We didn't want to put the baby in danger, by havingPaige orb into the middle of a rain of fireballs." 

"So where is she?" 

Leo fidgeted. 

"Leo?" 

"You know what, maybe I should go get her?" 

"Leo! What're you not telling us?" 

"I'll be right back." Leo began to orb. Little did he realize that his wife was swifter than she looked, and jumped into his orbs just as he was almost gone. 

---- 

A soft blue glow emanated from behind a flowering tree. Behind the tree, Leo angrily shoved Piper against it and slapped his hand over her mouth. "What do you think you're doing?" 

Angrily, Piper smacked her husband's hand away and squinted her eyes. "Where are we?" 

Leo poked his head around the tree and then returned his gaze to his wife. "You have to go, now." 

"Leo!" 

"Quiet," the whitelighter growled. "I'm taking you-" 

"No!" Piper shoved her husband back and began to turn the corner, when something caught her eye. It was a large, white, rectangular stone. In fact, she soon realized, there were several of them surrounding her. She cocked her head to the side, as if finally realizing where her husband had orbed her. "Leo, are we..." 

Leo nodded solemnly. He slid his hand into his wife's, and pulled her around the tree. He pointed. 

Piper placed her hand to her mouth in a silent gasp. 

"Now do you understand why you weren't supposed to come?" 

"But Leo," Piper shook her head in silent confusion. "Why didn't she just tell me? Tell us?" 

"You each grieve in your own ways, Piper. Paige just wanted some time alone with Prue, that's all." 

Piper looked again. From her vantage point behind the tree, she could see her youngest sister kneeling at the base of her big sister's headstone. She could also see the sparkling tears on Paige's red cheeks. Her heart ached to reach out to her. When she did, however, Leo pulled her back. "No. You stay here. I'll get Paige." 

Leo nudged Piper back behind the tree, and moved out from under its shade to reach Paige. He walked up quietly behind her, placed his hand on her shoulder, and knelt down beside her. "Paige?" 

Paige glanced up with teary eyes. "I was waiting for you to come. And I know Piper's with you." 

"You do?" 

Paige slid her hand into Leo's outstretched one, and she climbed to her feet. "I sense too, remember? Look, don't tell her I know, okay?" 

Leo nodded. "Are you okay to-" 

"I'm fine." Paige brushed away the fresh tears from her eyes, with the sleeve of her hot pink Abercrombie & Fitch cardigan. "Go take her home." She orbed. 

Leo headed back for Piper, but didn't get all the way to the tree before Piper met him halfway. "She wanted to orb home on her own," Leo only half lied. 

Piper wrapped her arms around her husband's neck and buried her face into his shirt. She just wanted to get this day over with. 

---- 

Mustard yellow particles of ash mushroom clouded into a vacant classroom. The demon, the same minion with glowing yellow eyes, appeared in front of a cherry oak desk with a name plate reading 'Miss Winterbourne'. 

He quickly moved around the desk and reached for a stack of papers on the center of the desk. He grabbed them and began to flip through them. Seven papers into the stack, he came upon one that made a sickly grin creep onto his deformed mouth. In scribble purple crayon, almost illegible, was the name 'Pandora'. He eagerly waved his hand over the paper, a half drawn family portrait, and it glowed a deep shade of green for only a second. 

Hearing footsteps, he returned the papers to their neatly stacked pile and repositioned them squarely in the center of the desk. He turned on his heel, seeing the doorknob on the Kindergarten classroom door beginning to turn. The minion's body enveloped into a cloud of dark yellow smoke, then dissipated into a swirl of mustard yellow ashes and disappeared from the room. 

The door swung open and Miss Winterbourne ushered her Kindergarten class into the room. "Settle down, settle down." Moving to her desk, she collected a stack of papers and waved her hand at them. Telekinetically, they dispersed to each and every desk in the now full room. 

Pandora Trudeau stared at her crayon picture for a moment.Without realizing it, she began to pick at her small cuticles, and her beautiful eyes began to glisten under the fluorescent lights from the ceiling. 

The hand drawingconsisted of a pink square with a brown triangle atop it, a black square in the center of the triangle as well as two positioned near the top of the pink square, and a rectangle with a line down the center in between the above squares nearer to the bottom. On the front of a scribbled green patch, there was a stick figure of a man with blue dotted eyes and next to him was a tiny stick figure girl with black hair and blue eyes. 

On the other side of the picture was another stick figure, also female but this one was at full height. Her stick neck, however, connected to an oval for a stomach. She had brown dotted eyes. And at the very top of the page, above the brown triangle, was another woman who bore a striking resemblance to the brown eyed one. She, however, had no oval stomach and had blue dotted eyes. 

Pandora reached her hands into the cubby of her desk and returned with a simple pack of Crayola crayons. She flipped open the box and pulled out a black crayon. She moved her hand to the top of her picture and drew in long lines of black hair on the figure floating above the house, the Manor. She returned the black crayon and pulled out a blue one, and began to draw several dark blue dots all over the picture. 

_**----Flashback----**_

_Andy stood up, walking across the damp grass which had been previously sprinkled with water droplets throughout the service and stopped at the center of the left side of the ivory coffin._

_"Daddy?"_

_Andy leaned down and scooped his daughter from the ground, adjusting her on his left hip. Peering over his shoulder, he motioned to Paige._

_Paige waddled over to the coffin, tears threatening to spill as Andy reached out and squeezed her hand._

_"It's time to say goodbye to mommy," he whispered into his daughter's ear and at the same time laid a comforting hand over the stomach which held his and Prue's unborn. The Inspector reached into his inner flap of his black blazer and pulled out a single red rose. He stared at the coffin for a moment, hesitating before finally laying the rose against the shiny ivory._

_That was the moment that the sky finally tore open, releasing a torrent of cleansing droplets from the heavy black storm clouds and hazy gray mess above. They ripped through the air with a fury, soaking everything they came in contact with. It may have just been an optical illusion, but to onlookers it appeared as those it they came specifically towards the faces of Andy and Pandora, and possibly even Paige's pregnant stomach._

_Pandora laced her tiny hand with her farther's and stretched out her arm to touch her aunt's stomach, as she relished the cold water on her body. "Blessed be, mommy."_

_**----Flashback----**_

A wet drop splashed onto a still white portion of the paper, and began to soak into the paper. Pandora placed her finger over the paper and rubbed the watery stain in, making a spherical mark on the paper. She shoved the blue crayon back into the box and shoved it into her desk.

As the young witch grabbed at the edge of the paper to pick it up, however, she let out a yelp of pain. Pulling her hand away, she could see a blob of dark red pooling onto the edge of her finger.

Miss Winterbourne looked up immediately. "Pandora, sweetie," she ran instantly to the little witch's side. "What is it? What's the matter?"

Pandora sniffled as she held up her finger, revealing the bloody drop.

"Oh, Pandora, what happened?" Miss Winterbourne pulled a small tissue from her pocket and dabbed the little girl's wound.

Pandora pointed to the drawing.

"A paper cut?"

The telepath nodded.

"Oh, honey." The teacher led the little girl to the door. "Why don't you go to Miss Loveock's office, and she'll get you a band-aid? You do know where her office is, don't you?"

"A huh." Pandora moved out of the door as Miss Winterbourne held it open.

The teacher waited and watched as Pandora wandered down the hallway, and disappeared behind the corner. Then she turned, allowing the door to shut behind her, and tossed the bloody tissue into the trash can next to her desk. She returned to her seat.

At the bottom of the trash can, the small tissue with the blood spot disappeared in a clump of black lights.

**_TO BE CONTINUED..._**


	24. The Power Of Three, Two, One

A/N: Peanut, all I'm going to say is that I know you're going to LOVE this subplot!

_**Change Happens**_

_**Chapter 24: The Power Of Three, Two, One**_

The minion's hands tingled as he rolled the bloody tissue in his hands. He knew Scorpia would be most pleased with his efforts. He couldn't believe how easy it had been. Two simple spells, and he had the blood of the youngest of the Blessed Ones. His bony fingers cupped around the tissue as he stepped into the entrance of Scorpia's lair. "Mistress?"

Out of the shadows, Scorpia appeared. The ruby of her pendant seemed to glow, although there wasn't any light for it to reflect off of. "Do you have it?"

The minion bowed his head. At the same time, he extended his crippled hand to reveal the red dotted tissue.

"Excellent," she purred. Her slender fingers wrapped greedily around the tissue and she pulled it from his hand with supernatural speed. "You've served me well, Kern."

The minion, Kern, glanced up with glee. His deformed face twisted into an excited grin. "Then have you decided on my reward?"

Scorpia's face fixed into a mock sorrowful expression. "Unfortunately your services are still required," she explained.

Kern's face fell. "What else do you need? I thought I obtained all your potion ingredients?"

Scropia ran her fingers across the bare skin of her chest. "Well, you see," she reached out a hand and beckoned him to her. When the minion was within reach, she draped her hand on the side of his neck and began to massage it. "I need a sacrifice!"

She watched his eyes explode with horror. By then it was already too late. A dark hole had opened in the palm of her hand, and a black scorpion claw had extended from it. It punctured Kern's neck and began to inject vast amounts of poison into his crippled body. When she was finished, the claw retracted into her palm and closed as if it had never been there at all. Upon pulling her hand away, the dead minion toppled to the ground.

Scorpia turned on her heel and headed towards her bubbling cauldron. She waved her hand over it a moment, allowing the fumes to waft into her nostrils. Then she tossed in the bloodied tissue. Her potion hissed and bubbled furiously for several minutes. "Now I just need to cook you," she explained aloud. Turning, she eyed her minion. _In just a few hours it'll be complete, and I will ascend to the power I should've had centuries ago!_

----

Piper Halliwell rubbed her right hip. She was sitting in a slowly settling cloud of smoke and debris. Just minutes earlier, she and her younger sisters had tapped into their combined powers as the Power of Three, to vanquish the leader of the Thorax pack demons. The collision of such powerful magic had sent her flailing across the attic.

"Piper, are you alright?" The psychic Charmed One approached her older sister with great concern etched into her fine features. She held out a hesitant hand.

Gratefully, the eldest living sister grabbed a hold of Phoebe's hand and hauled herself up. "Is Paige okay?" She asked, not even thinking of herself.

"She's fine." The clairvoyant motioned her free hand towards the youngest Halliwell sister, who was standing near the entrance to the attic. "She was the only one who avoided getting bug splattered. She orbed." Phoebe chewed her lip. Normally, she'd feel the need to insert some type of joke, but somehow it just didn't feel appropriate. Ever since Piper had come back with Leo, she her gut had told her that something wasn't right.

Piper brushed her hands over her dusty floral gray-blue blouse and faded blue bell bottoms. A cloud of dust particles shot from her clothing, causing the witch to submit to several strained coughs.

Phoebe patted her big sister's back. "Are you sure you're fine?"

Piper swatted Phoebe's hand away in annoyance. "I'm fine, Phoebe. Look, we've got more pressing matters." She brushed past the psychic, moving towards Paige.

Phoebe's brow wrinkled. _More pressing matters? I thought all we had to do was vanquish the Thorax pack. What the hell is she talking about?_ She crossed over to her sisters. "Do we have another demon to vanquish, or something? Did Paige have a premonition?"

Piper folded her arms. "No. I just think that maybe...Maybe we should do something today. Just the three of us? Some sisterly bonding, you know? We haven't done that in a long time."

"Piper," Paige frowned. "You and I just spent the entire day together last week."

"I said the three of us," Piper exclaimed. Her hand jetted around in a quickly circle. "Phoebe wasn't with us last week."

"Oh." Paige shifted uneasily. She knew where this was going, and she didn't want it. She could tell that Piper was feeling bad for not realizing just how much she missed Prue, and she was trying to make up for it with sister time. "I dunno, Piper. I'm really pretty tired lately. You know, with the baby almost due and all-"

"Oh come on! It'll be fun!" Piper clasped her hands together in excitement. "What about a movie day? We could head to the theater and gorge on popcorn and candy?"

"My stomach hasn't been too-"

"Or we could just stay home and play board games? Maybe look through photo albums?"

Phoebe crossed her arms. "What's going on here? Last time I checked, you were trying to run out the door so you could get to the club on time to greet Lisa Marie Presley at P3."

Piper turned her head away in an attempt to hide the fact that she'd completely forgotten that Lisa Marie was playing at her club tonight. _Shit!_

"You forgot, didn't you?"

"I did not!" Piper argued, turning to face her sisters. "I decided that it wasn't as important as spending time with my sisters!"

"Well apparently you forgot that we have lives too," the precognitive accused. "I have to be to the Bay Mirror in a half an hour, and I need to have this week's column done by the time I arrive. The Thorax pack already has me off schedule."

"Phoebe's right. I have plans too," Paige jumped in.

Piper frowned. "What kind of plans?"

Paige tossed a hard glare in her sister's direction. "Just because we're sisters doesn't mean I have to tell you everything, Piper." Before allowing Piper to protest, she orbed.

"What was that all about?" Phoebe grumbled. The toe of her shoe began to tap incessantly against the hardwood floor.

Piper literally waved the comment away, and strode out the door without looking back at Phoebe. She didn't have time to explain. Nor could she, without Paige potentially discovering that she'd come with Leo. After all, Piper knew all too well that Phoebe couldn't keep a secret if her life depended on it. _With Persia as her only exception._

----

Trails of wispy gray smoke curled through the air and dissipated into the dark of Scorpia's lair. She was kneeling in front of a massive fire, which burned in the center of her demonic altar. Her fingers were caked in dry, black blood. An inverted pentagram, also drawn in Kern's poisoned blood, lay at her knees.

The demoness dipped her hand into the pocket of her silky black dress, twitched her fingers for several moments, and then extracted it. Her hand was cupped around something very small, but obviously quite critical to the spell she had planned out. Grinning, she opened her palm to reveal a lump wrapped in a blood red cloth. Scorpia delicately unwound the cloth to reveal a long since dried, fixated eyeball. Even in death, it held a piercing gaze.

**_----Flashback----_**

_A crowd of the Underworld's evils had gathered in one of its most expansive earthen chambers. Demons, warlocks, grimlocks, wizards, sorceresses and sorcerers, seers, goblins, and every other being one could think of. Like a pack of sardines, they were packed tightly into every possible corner. Some who had the ability to levitate or fly even stole air space._

_There was only one section of the chamber that was open. It was a massive circle with an inverted pentagram, the stolen symbol of good magic in its reverse, etched into its center. It was, without a doubt, a magical arena. The arena was outlined in a thick layer of black ash. None of the demons dared to get near it._

_Two fiery sparks simultaneously ignited on the top points of the inverted pentagram, and a deafening hush fell over the entire evil magical community. Each spark grew faster and faster, both in time with one another, until licking flames spiraled upwards and left two towering demons in their wake._

_The demon on the left was a hugely muscular demon, a little over six feet tall. He had a brawn chest and football player shoulders. The demon was dressed completely in black: leather pants, a woolen undershirt with a leather vest, and thick black boots. His head was large, and almost rectangular in shape. He had dark brown hair, which extended into a medium sized beard, and piercing dark brown eyes._

_The demon opposite him was clad in a rich, red velvet cloak the color of fresh blood. He was just a few inches shorter, however, and less brawny. He also looked less human. His skin was a leathery, dark yellow. His head was completely shaven, and his face had several small scars. His light green tribal markings were also clearly visible. His eyes were large, black holes outlined in red, and his lips were a crusty yellow with a pinkish hue which stood out against his mustard yellow and black rotting teeth._

_The moment the two opposing forces locked eyes, the battle had begun. Each raised an arm; one meaty and one bony. Blazing orange-red fireballs sizzled above their itchy palms, and they were hurled with monumental force at the opposing parties. Neither made it. The fireballs hit in mid air, causing a nova-like explosion and sending a shockwave about the arena. It was so strong it even breeched the outer ring and incinerated a few demons who'd dared to come too close. Their ashes melded with the others that outlined the arena._

_The black clad demon spread out his arms and wrenched them through the air. Telekinetically, he swung his opponent around the ring and then smashed him to the ground in a bone crushing landing._

_Sprouts of cheers rang out across the chamber. "Zankou! Zankou!"_

_The hood fell to the shoulders of the cloaked demon. His pitch black eyes burned with vengeance. He extended a yellow, bony hand and squeezed at thin air. His rotten mouth twisted with delight as Zankou's face began to redden and pucker, as he cut off the demon's oxygen supply. Then he twisted his other hand and summoned a fireball, which he cast immediately into his opponent's chest._

_Zankou toppled back against the edge of the arena. He formed a fist, still fighting to breath, and smashed it against the ground. A shockwave sprang across the floor, leaving a gaping hole across the center of the pentagram. It was enough to make his opponent lose his concentration, and stumble. He could breath. In stealth, he pulled a double edged athame from his leather vest and hurled it with added telekinetic force towards his opposition._

_The cloaked demon turned sharply, but it wasn't enough. His face contorted in agony as the athame embedded itself into the side of his head, digging in just behind his eye. He felt a mound of warm blood gurgle from the wound, as his black eye sprang from its socket and continued on its out of the arena._

_Several feet from the edge of the arena, a young Scorpia stood awestruck. She looked no more than 16-years-old, although for it a demon it was quite possible that she was far older than what she seemed. Her mouth hung loosely, as the piercing black eye landed roughly at her feet. The demons around her gaped. _

_Quickly, she snatched it from the ground and tucked it into the pocket of her dress. Before any of the jealous onlookers could ambush her, she placed a hand to the scorpion pendant that hung from her neck. It glowed red, and its glow washed over her as well. When it dissipated, she was gone._

**_----Flashback----_**

The Scorpion Demon leaned forward, placing the eyeball in the intersection of the inverted pentagram. She leaned to her right and extracted a ladle of her bloodied potion and began to drizzle it about the perimeter of the pentagram. The blood on the ground began to blur and expand. She took another ladle and began to drizzle it over the center star. Again, the blood blurred across the ground. It did, however, keep a loose formation. When she was done, she returned the ladle to its frothy potion, allowing it to disappear almost completely under the red foam.

Scorpia ejected her fingers and pulled them close together, before connecting her hands at the palms. It was a strange position for a demon, especially being on her knees. She appeared as if she were about to pray. She was in fact attempting to implore the help of a higher power, however. She was about to tap into her own very powerful magic. Dark magic.

Suddenly a startlingly deep voice filled the Underworld chamber. It verged on being that of a a well bodied man's. The ancient demoness was also using a long forgotten language. The same one, in fact, that the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse had used for their spells. As her deep voice grew louder, her fire began to spark more furiously and the walls of the chamber began to rumble. Most awing, however, was the massive scorpion tattoo on her back. It had begun to glow a deadly shade of red.

----

Paige traced her pale fingers over the black engravings on her big sister's headstone. "I miss you so much," she sobbed quietly. Her eyes were glassy and ringed in red. Strings of hair were matted to her damp face. "I don't know if I can do this, Prue. I don't know if I can raise this baby. Your baby. It's not right. You should be here for this."

Paige Matthews dabbed her raw nose with her pink sweater. The sun was hot against her back, and she could feel herself sweating. She hadn't the strength to remove the hot sweater, though. She would've given just about anything to feel Prue's arms around her again, whispering in her ear that everything would be alright because they had each other.

Her and Prue had done just that on many occasions. Unbeknownst to Piper and Phoebe, or anyone else residing on the walls of the Halliwell Manor, the eldest and youngest had spent many sleepless nights up long after the rest of the family had turned in. Sometimes they'd watch movies, sometimes they'd drink chamomile tea, share stories, or on the most special of occasions Paige had chosen to just fall asleep in Prue's arms. In a way, it had been their way of making up for what they should've had as children.

_**----Flashback----**_

_Paige was huddled on the sofa, mostly hidden under a pink cotton throw. Her hair was matted, and strewn about her face. She'd attempted at pulling her legs to her chest, but her seven month pregnant belly just refused to allow her that small bit of comfort. Instead, she opted to wrap her arms around her bulging belly._

_Except for a lone, flickering candle on the coffee table and the ominous glow of the muted television, Paige appeared to be completely in the dark. All alone. Her eyes drooped, as if she wanted to sleep. Unfortunately her face conveyed another story entirely. It was creased heavily with lines of worry and unrest. Her eyes were even underlined by thick, pronounced circles, the classic signs of many sleepless nights._

_Absently, the whitelighter-witch began to chew at her bottom lip. Silently, she slipped her hand behind one of the cushions on the sofa and whipped out a large plastic Tupperware tub. She yanked off the yellow-cream colored lid, revealing stacks ofshiny redcherry Twizzlers. Eagerly, she pulled one out and shoved it into her mouth. Her eyes closed as she began to chew greedily at the cherry candy._

_Several minutes passed as she sat there quietly, just chewing at her candy. The clock just struck midnight. Suddenly her eyes sprang open at the sound of shuffling slippers on the floor. Her hand trembled as she shoved the Tupperware box away and held out a palm, creating a glowing ball of white light. She held it up against the darkness, threatening to throw it in a moment's notice. What she saw, however, thoroughly surprised her. "P-Prue?"_

_Prue Halliwell jumped back in surprise. "Paige?" She etched closer to the sofa. "Is that you?"_

_Paige shifted uneasily. "Uh, yeah." Her muscles tightened. "W-what are you doing up so late?"_

_Prue cocked her head suspiciously. She moved around the sofa, coming into the glare of the television. She was wearing a white spaghetti top and flannel pajama pants, with Eeyore slippers. Her raven hair hung loosely down her shoulders. "I could ask you the same question," she countered._

_Paige shrugged, and pulled the throw a little tighter around her body. "Couldn't sleep."_

_Prue smiled slightly, and plopped down next to her baby sister. "What's that?"_

"_What?" Paige inquired. That was when she noticed that she was waving her Twizzler around as she spoke. "Oh, this?" She asked, holding up the chewed Twizzler._

_The eldest nodded._

"_Twizzler." Paige pursed her lips._

"_Cherry?"_

_Paige nodded eagerly. "My favorite. I've had an obsession with 'em for years. Especially in college." She grinned wistfully, until she realized who she was talking her. Her posture stiffened again._

_The raven haired sister giggled. "You too?"_

_Paige's brows sprang up. "What?"_

"_I've been crazy about those things for years! I used to keep some in my purse and in my car in High School."_

_This time the youngest had to laugh. "I used to keep an entire drawer full of them by my bed in college!" Her eyes suddenly lit up as she grabbed the Tupperware container. "I move them to Tupperware when I got my apartment." The whitelighter-witch whipped open the box and held it out. "Want one?"_

_Prue grinned devilishly, as she flopped down on the opposite end of the sofa. "I'd love that!" She eagerly snagged the first Twizzler her fingers touched, and brought it to her mouth hungrily. "Oh goodness, I haven't had one of these in months!"_

"_Seriously," Paige cooed. "I've been so busy fighting demons and having morning sickness, I wasn't able to enjoy these."_

_Prue tapped the top of the Tupperware container. "How long have these been in there?"_

"_Couple months."_

"_Wow. They taste brand new. Hey, you know, I'm going to have to remember that the next time I get some Twizzlers."_

"_I know, right? Tupperware's the best! My mom," her voice dropped, "my adoptive mom. She used to swear by them."_

_An awkward silence ensued. Both sisters just sat quietly for about ten minutes, every so often digging into the open Tupperware box that sat between them. Then, finally, Prue spoke up. "So, what were you doing down here again?" She crossed her arms in the way she always used to do with Piper and Phoebe when they were younger. "And don't give me that crap about not being able to sleep. Something's on your mind, I know it."_

_"And just how would you know that?" The youngest challenged._

_"Because," Prue admitted, "this is what I do when I come down here to think."_

_Paige's face softened. "I see. I was actually beginning to wonder if you were telepathic or something."_

"_Not quite," the eldest laughed. Her eyed hardened again. "Seriously, though. What's up?" She folded her arms._

_Paige sighed, and averted her attention to the silent television. "I really don't think you'd-"_

"_Paige, I'm your sister," Prue interjected. "I know we barely know each other, but come on. Can't you give me a chance? How else better to get to know each other?"_

_For several seconds, the youngest just stared. Then, finally, she could feel her armor melting away. "It's everything," she blurted out, even startling herself. Once she'd started, however, she just couldn't seem to stop. _

"_Ever since I can remember I was an only child. The adopted child. And then suddenly an orphan, again. Then on my own. And finally when I thought I was startling to get a handle on my life, with working at South Bay and all, I see your obituary in the paper! And wham! Suddenly I have two sisters and I'm a Charmed One. This ultimate being who's supposed to fight big bads on a regular basis. And of course it doesn't stop there. I suddenly have to move in with them and then I'm pregnant and you come back from the dead…"_

_Paige was about to continue with her rant, when she suddenly felt a pair of warm and comforting hands wrap around her. She stopped mid sentence. It took her a moment, but her body finally relaxed into her older sister's. She closed her eyes and leaned into Prue's chest. "Thank you," she whimpered._

_Prue rubbed her baby sister's back encouragingly. "It's okay," she murmured softly. "It's fine. Everything'll be fine. It'll all work out, I promise. As long as we have each other, everything will be fine."_

_**----Flashback----**_

It was at that moment that a small kick from the womb pulled her back to reality. Paige placed a delicate hand to her swollen stomach and rubbed it softly. "I know," she sniffled, "I miss your mom too." She soon discovered that the unborn child wasn't satisfied with that answer. Again, she felt a kick to her insides. It had been stronger than the first. "Are you trying to tell me something?" Paige asked.

The witchlighter placed a hand atop her sister's gravestone, using it as leverage to pull to her feet. She felt another stab to her stomach. Her face went a little paler. The tiny hairs on the back of her neck were beginning to pull to attention. "Baby," she whispered, "what's wrong?"

Paige gasped. She could feel a distinct pinch in the pit of her stomach. A twinge, if you will. Her hand grasped at her throat as her entire body was instantly blanketed in fine goose pimples. Then her mind exploded with psychic vision.

_**----Premonition----**_

"_Paige!" Phoebe howled. Blood trickled down the side of her face from a dirty gash across her head. Tears were pricking her eyes, and sliding down her face. She bent down, grabbing the limp arms of her big sister. "Paige! We need you!" Her voice was frantic and pleading._

_The psychic began to breath heavily, as she dragged her limp big sister across the floor. Her eyes widened as a glowing hot fireball flew into view, heading straight for her. Piper's hands slid from her own, and she glided above the fireball. Her feet dangled in the air a moment, before she touched back to the ground and grabbed at her big sister once more._

"_Come on Piper," she pleaded. "You have to wake up. You have to help me!" Her eyes traveled back to the ceiling. "Paige! Paige!" Again, she tried to drag her sister across the floor, but alone, Piper proved to be far too heavy for her. "Someone, help me!" Her mouth opened and closed several times. Then her body seemed to stop, before toppling forward and collapsing on Piper's. A large, burnt hole resided in the center of her back._

_**----Premonition----**_

Paige choked back gasps of horror. Her stomach was swirling, and she was finding it increasingly hard to stand. Her chest was rising and falling far too rapidly. She couldn't understand what kind of demon could have the power to do such a hideous thing. Of course, she'd never saw the demon either. Just the fireballs.

She felt another stab to her abdomen. Then the pounding of Phoebe's voice in her head. _Phoebe! No, not yet! I'm coming! Hold on, I'm coming!_ Without so much as a second thought, or even to check who may or may not be around to see her, the whitelighter's body exploded outward in a swathe of blue and white spheres of angelic light. They whirled around in a frenzy, before bolting for the robin's egg blue sky and disappearing into its vastness.

----

Paige appeared next to the stairs. Before she had a chance to blink, a shrill scream to her left made her spin to the side to look. To her horror, she saw her big sister hurdling through the air and crashing literally through the wall. "Piper!" She waddled to her sister's side, just as a scream from the other room pierced her ears. "Phoebe."

Paige was torn. Leave Piper, who was defenseless in the current state she was in, or risk being down two sisters instead of one. _Wait, if Phoebe was alive in order to try and pull Piper to safety, then things will probably follow suit until she comes in here. I'll wait._ She knelt down next to her big sister and brushed the side of Piper's bloodied face. "Piper? Sweetie, it's Paige. Wake up. You have to wake up."

Her eyes were welling with tears. She couldn't believe her own ears. Was she actually saying this to her sister as she was dying? She shook her head and pulled Piper's head into her hands. "Piper, you have to wake up. Our lives depend on it." Just then, she felt a rush of air billow past them. She looked up to see Phoebe crash against the front doors. The hairs on her neck rose again. This time she could sense of the sheer amount of evil that inhabited the Manor. "Phoebe!"

Phoebe touched the side of her head, as a tickle of wet caught her attention. Her head stung against the feeling of her skin against the dirty gash on her head. She struggled to her feet and ran in the direction in which she'd remember Piper being thrown. To her surprise, both her sisters were there. "Paige," she gasped, "thank goddess!" She dropped to her knees, cradling Piper's hand in her own. "It's-"

Paige, however, wasn't listening. All she was focused on was keeping her niece's premonition from coming true. Her blue orbs enveloped herself, traveled down to Piper, and then encircled Phoebe mid sentence. They were gone, just as a fireball rocketed by.

----

As soon as Paige appeared in the attic, she opened her mouth to yell for her brother-in-law. Her voice caught in her throat at what she saw, sprawled across Great Aunt Pearl's couch. "Leo," she gasped. From her vantage point on the floor, she had a perfect view of the darklighter arrow that was sticking straight up from the whitelighter's back.

"Seems almost anticlimactic, doesn't it?"

Paige's blood seemed to run cold. Her body froze where she sat, still with Piper's head in her hands. "No." Her lips barely parted as she arched her head to the side. "No, it's not possible!"

"Oh but it is."

Paige's sugar brown eyes blazed. "You're dead!" Her body was almost convulsing. "Prue died to kill you!"

"Funny how things work out, don't they?" The Source stood just several feet away. In his outstretched hand bounced a glowing red-orange fireball. Unlike the many times the Charmed sisters had seen him before, his hood was draped over his shoulders, revealing his head. It was completely bald, and just as yellow as his bony hands. His face teemed with scars, and his grinned a mouthful of rotten teeth. What was most disturbing, however, were his pitch black eyes. They reflected the pure malice he had for the Warren line.

With a primal roar, Phoebe bounded to her feet and jumped into a levitating spin kick. Her foot connected directly with The Source's neck, sending him falling backwards as she descended to the ground again.

"Foolish witch," he growled. He was instantly on his feet again. "You were always the weakest," he growled. "But I will have just as much pleasure taking your life as I did taking Prue's!"

"You never took Prue's," Phoebe snarled. "You had no id-"She didn't get to finished. Her body spun awkwardly through the air, before landing in a heap next to Paige and Piper. She tried to move, but she felt as though every bone in her body had been crushed. It was quite possible that she was right.

The Source advanced on Paige. He knew she could orb if she wanted to, but he also knew that she wouldn't. At least not without both Piper and Phoebe, and at the moment, only Piper was within her reach. He towered over her, looking on with malice as she trembled under his impending gaze.

"I'll have the most satisfaction taking your life," he grinned. "You've escaped so much during your lifetime. The Elders, the crash, my attempts to turn you to evil. This will be the one thing you won't escape from." He arched back his arm and summoned a heated fireball. "Say hello to Prue for me."

Paige's eyes clamped shut as she waited for what was surely to be her last moment's of life. She knew she could orb if she wanted. _But I won't leave them here!_ She clutched Piper a little tighter. _I'm so sorry, Prue! I'm so sorry I couldn't protect them the way that you could have!_ She could feel the heat of the sphere nearing her face. She waited, but she felt nothing. Opening her eyes, she could see the sphere suspended in mid air. She also saw The Source's eyes rapidly bulging from his yellow head.

"How 'bout you do it yourself?"

Paige's head whipped over her shoulder. "Prue!"

_**TO BE CONTINUED….**_


	25. A Call To Charms

A/N: So, who's read the spoilers for the series finale? I can't believe what I've read! Wow. Anywho, I'm uber pleased with my responses from the last chapter. I'm glad you all like this!

_**Change Happens**_

**_Chapter 25: A Call To Charms_**

"Get out of my house!" The entire Manor was trembling as stray kinetic energy moved freely through its walls. Prue's unadulterated power was no doubt a force to be reckoned with. Everything in the attic, besides the sisters themselves and The Source, was weaving madly about the air. It brought back foul memories of the Prue's trip to the future in which she destroyed the attic with a simple wave of her hand. Well, this was no wave of her hand. This had all been done by a bellow of her voice.

"Prue," Paige repeated under the roar of shattering glass caused by Prue's telekinetic disturbance. She rose to her feet. The lower portion of her body was drenched in Piper's blood.

Prue moved quickly to her conscious sister, taking her hand. "We can do this together, Paige. But we've got to hurry." Her eyes swept tearfully over Piper and Phoebe, knowing that unless they acted now, their sisters would be as dead as she had been. She narrowed her blue eyes, pushing on The Source with all the will she had. "Now!"

"Source!" Paige screamed until her vocal chords burned. Her hand shot outwards and she gave it a violent wrenching through the air. The youngest Charmed One squeezed her big sister's hand a little tighter.

Finally, The Source lost his balance and went stumbling into the telekinetic whirlwind. Soon, however, he found his body becoming light and airy as his particles separated and dispersed in all different directions. The last thing he saw was blue and white angelic lights carrying him through the south wall of the Halliwell Manor.

With Prue's return, he knew he needed to find another way to attack the Charmed Ones. Right now, however, his top priority had to be fleeing to the Underworld. He couldn't risk the exposure of crashing into some populated portion of San Francisco. As he started to descend, he flamed. To any far away onlookers, he must have looked like one hugely bright shooting star.

----

"Don't touch it!" Prue scolded, as her baby sister neared Leo. She squinted her eyes and the darklighter arrow ripped from her brother-in-law's back, flying across the room to land in the wall. "Now, hurry!"

Diligently, Paige took a seat on the sofa at Leo's side. She entwined her hand with his, and placed her free hand over his back. Within minutes, a soft golden glow emanated from her hand and began to seal the darklighter wound. As soon as the blood had stopped flowing, she breathed in partial relief.

Leo felt Paige's hand in his, even before he opened his eyes. His aching body craned upwards from its tangled position on the old sofa, and he pulled away from his sister-in-law. He blinked. "Piper!"

"Hurry, Leo, she doesn't have a lot of time!"

Like a spring, Leo was on his feet and running towards his late sister-in-law. His heart was pounding against his chest as if trying to rip its way free. _Prue? Am I dreaming?_

Prue shook her head. "No time for questions, Leo. Just heal her." Tears were threatening to spill from her enraged eyes, as she cradled her little sister's bloody body in her lap.

"But how?" Leo breathed, as he knelt down to place his healing hands over his beloved wife.

"Heal now," Prue growled. "Will discuss miracles later!" Several minutes passed, and to Prue, nothing seemed to be happening. "Leo, why isn't it working?"

"It is," Leo pressed. "It takes time, Prue. Piper nearly died!"

Before the telekinetic could retort, a gasp from her side provoked her to turn around. Phoebe, who'd been revived by a certain Blessed One that Paige had orbed off to get, was now sitting up and staring wide eyed at her. She felt like a scientific specimen. "Pheebs, it's just me." She held out her hand in an effort to comfort her sister.

Phoebe's face had turned a ghostly shade of white. Even whiter than Paige's skin, perhaps. She wanted to believe that her sister was really there, offering a hand of support. One side of her was screaming to pounce of Prue and hug. Her other half, her rational half, was telling her that this was too good to be true. Even if Prue was really there, coming back from the dead couldn't happen twice. _Could it?_ The psychic's lips parted several times, before she finally mustered the courage to say her sister's name. "Prue? Is that really you?"

Prue smiled sympathetically. "Yes, Phoebe, it's me. Come here." She motioned for the second youngest, and no sooner had she done so, did she start to regret it. She immediately found herself pinned under Phoebe's weight. "Phoebe," she gasped. "You'll hug me to death!" Immediately she cringed. _Bad choice of words! Bad, bad choice of words_, she mentally chastised herself. "I mean, can you please get off of me?"

Through tears, Phoebe rolled off her big sister and wiped her nose on her sleeve. "Prue, how is this possible? Are you-"

"Prue!" Piper's voice cut through the conversation like a hot knife through butter. It was more along the lines of a high pitched, shrilly shriek.

"Thank goodness," Prue breathed. Her hands instantly wrapped around Piper and yanked her into one of the tightest hugs she'd given her since the day she'd been born. "I thought I'd lost you!"

For a moment Piper said nothing. She just buried her face into the crook of Prue's neck and breathed in her long lost sister's familiar scent. Then she hesitantly touched her silky, raven hair. Sobbing now, Piper squeezed Prue harder. "H-how l-long?"

Instead of answering, Prue just drew circles on her sister's back with her finger. "Shh," she soothed. "Everything's going to be fine." She ran her hand through Piper's long brown hair and stroked the back of her head.

Leo crossed his arms and eyed his late sister-in-law warily. "Prue, I demand to know what's going on. Did The Elders send you down?"

"No."

"A higher power?" Paige inquired.

Again, Prue denied it.

Phoebe was beginning to lose her patience. "You know I love you, Prue. But I have to know. What the hell is going on here?"

Pulling Piper with her, Prue made it to her feet. "I think you guys need to sit down," she said, leading the timer over to Pearl's old couch.

Paige slid behind her daughter, and placed her hands on the Blessed child's shoulders. "I think I'll stand."

"Very well." The eldest motioned for Leo to take a seat next to his wife, and comfort her. Turning on her heel, she began to pace the room.

"Prue?"

Prue raised her hands in defeat. "Just, please. Give me a few moments."

"We don't have a few moments," Phoebe fired back. "The Source is back, and he's trying to kill us. He nearly did. If it hadn't been for your sudden appearance-"

"He would have," the youngest supplied with finality.

"No he wouldn't." Prue folded her arms across her chest. Her blue gaze bore into Phoebe. "I wouldn't have let him."

"Get to the point!"

Prue recoiled at the sound of Leo's uncharacteristically loud outburst. "They reversed the spell."

"What spell? Who're 'they'? What in the world are you talking about?"

"Demons. A specific demon, actually." Prue moved across the attic, stopping dead center in front of the Book of Shadows. She waved her hand, telekinetically flipping open the tome and shuffling through the pages.

"And what spell are you referring to?" Paige asked, moving towards her sister.

"The spell that Pandora cast."

The three youngest Charmed Ones expelled a collective gasp.

Leo rose to his feet. "What, exactly, are you saying?"

"I'm saying…" Prue suddenly stopped and flicked her wrist, moving the pedestal around to face her family. "That this is our demon. Scorpia. The Scorpion Demon Princess."

----

Scorpia traipsed across the royalist of demonic chambers. The Source's chamber. She was now dressed in a backless emerald even gown, with fine spaghetti traps and a plunging oval neckline. It moved with her slinky body as if it were her own skin. Her dark golden hair was pulled into a half bun, and luxurious strands were hanging down the sides of her face, so as to frame it.

Barefoot, the enchanting demoness strode through the heavily guarded door without so much as a knock. It had been a long time since she'd been treated with such respect, and she was soaking it up. _Soon_, she thought, _I'll have an entire kingdom again._ Her lips curved into a saucy grin. _An entire queendom! The princess shall rise again. The scorpion line will rise again!_

"Scorpia."

Scorpia hid her visible distaste, as she slunk towards the center of the dimly lit room. She'd left the throne room outside. The four walls she was currently in, was The Source's personal room. She stopped several feet from the only light in the room. Nobody was there. Not even in the shadows, she knew, or her fine senses would've detected it.

The bedchamber, unlike the rest of the rock ridden Underworld, looked like a lavish hotel suite. Plush, black carpeting bathed the entire floor of the expansive room. The walls were carved of blood red marble. In the room's center sat a king sized canopy bed, draped in pitch black velvet sheets. Above the bed was the only light in the quarters: a low burning torch.

A seemingly invisible force pressed firmly against her cheek, visibly making it crease. Scorpia turned her head to the side, taking the invisible force as it came. Suddenly her half bun toppled over, spilling her dark golden hair in waves over her shoulders and down her back. Hot breath. She could feel the hot, lusty breath over her bare shoulders. Suddenly her right spaghetti strap slipped down her bare shoulder, hanging loosely several inches down her arm.

"It's been a long time, Scorpia."

"Sire," Scorpia purred. Her lips puckered as an invisible force pressed against them. Again, her eyes shut. She felt her other strap slip down her arm. She moved slowly, seductively, to the velvet bed. Shedding her emerald evening gown, her nude form climbed into the dark canopy and disappeared behind its curtains.

----

Persia raked her fingers through her hair, pulling back into a loose ponytail. She was standing in front of a smudged and scratched mirror, leaning slightly against a dirty porcelain sink. She had changed into a dark yellow, cotton shirt with big burgundy letters that read, 'Baker High Phys. Ed.' It was a size too big for her, and almost covered her matching burgundy P.E. shorts.

"Persia?"

Persia flicked on the faucet and ran her hand under the cool water. "Yeah?" She ran her wet fingers over the feisty pieces of hair that were poking out from behind her ears and atop her head.

"Do you have an extra scrunchie?" The voice belonged to Miranda Hannigan, one of the more popular girls in Persia's physical education class.

Persia shrugged sympathetically. "Sorry, Miranda." She tugged as the edge of the off white scrunchie she'd just put into her hair. "This was the only one I had."

Miranda frowned. "Thanks anyway." She turned on her heel and pranced off in the opposite direction.

Turning back to the mirror, Persia rolled her brown eyes. She found it utterly amusing how most of the popular girls acted. _I don't even know why she bothers to pull her hair back_, she silently scoffed, _she doesn't even dress out for crying out loud!_ She leaned back from the mirror and smoothed the creases in P.E. shirt. As she turned to head out of the bathroom area, as the girls' locker room was split into one half with lockers and one half for the bathroom, she smacked directly into someone walking the opposite direction. She stumbled back in surprise, only halting her fall by catching herself on the side of one of the sinks.

"I'm so sorry!" It was Alyssa Peterman. She was a short, scrawny girl. A classic nerd, if anyone were to ask. She had shaggy brown hair that extended halfway down her back, which always looked greasy and uncombed. She wore shiny train track braces, and large owl-like wire rimmed glasses, which were bent on the right side.

Alyssa shuddered in embarrassment, as she stumbled back into the door of one of the bathroom stalls. Her glasses had been askewed from the collision, and her hair was hanging helplessly in her face. "I'm so sorry," she repeated, readjusting her glasses.

"It's o…" Persia trailed off mid sentence. Her gaze fell upon Alyssa's pale skin. Apparently her shirt had been ruffled in the collision, just enough to reveal part of her bony hip. A small gasp escaped her lips. "What happened?"

Quickly, Alyssa yanked her shirt back down to cover the sprawling blue-purple bruise that covered what could be seen of her hip. "I-I-it's n-nothing," she stuttered.

"Nothing? That bruise was huge!" Persia grabbed the girl's wrist, to which she flinched. The electrokinetic pulled her hand back. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine," Alyssa assured. "It's nothing, really! I was rolling skating when I took my, uh, my dog for a walk the other day. He got really excited and took off, and I ended up crashing into one of those green curb side garbage cans." She placed a hand to her hip and smiled meekly. "Total accident, ya know? Turk, man, he just so happy to go for walks." She began to slowly inch her way into the stall. "I should've known better than to wear roller skates when taking him out."

Persia nodded faintly. She wasn't an empath, that was for sure. But something about this situation felt funny to her. Off, in some way. She tried to move nearer to Alyssa again, but the stall door shut in her face.

"I'll see you in class," Alyssa chimed from behind the stall door.

Persia crossed her arms across her chest and frowned. "Yeah, you too." Closing her eyes, she stalked off towards the exit. _Maybe she really did just crash into a garbage can? I mean, it's possible. _As she swung the door open to head to gym class, she scratched her head. _But why did she feel the need to go into such detail?_ She shook her head in dismay. Something just didn't feel right, but she couldn't seem to put her finger on it.

----

Prue stopped abruptly, as a glow of orbs reflected on her pretty face. She was standing in front of a shut and locked attic door, via Paige. "Paige," she warned, "I could blast this door off its hinges. Do you really think you can keep me in here?"

Piper folded her arms as she took her place next to Paige. "You can't run from all of us, Prue. Now we want to know what's really going on. Enough with the small talk, and demonic diversions."

"We want the truth," Phoebe said flatly.

Prue heaved a sigh. She turned on her heel and leaned back against the attic door. "Okay. The truth. Right." She shifted uncomfortably.

"I'm still not hearing anything," Paige growled. She moved closer to the Book. "I could always cast the Truth Spell."

Prue glowered. "Personal gain?"

"You cast it on Andy," Phoebe countered.

"And Piper cast it on me just last week," Paige reminded. "I'm sure you would know that."

"And besides," Piper added, "this affects all of us. So in actuality, it isn't personal gain."

"Piper-"

"Paige."

Prue waved her hands. "Fine! Okay, just hold up." Prue closed her eyes and swallowed hard. "The curse that Andy wrote and Pandora cast on The Source," her eyes turned to the wall, "Scorpia reversed it. She didn't just bring him back from the dead, she literally reversed the curse. Because The Source and I were linked by the curse, I was brought back too, because it was reversed."

Piper's eyes shimmered with tears. "So does that mean…"

"Yes, Piper," Prue whispered barely above a whisper. "It means I'm really alive."

"Then why didn't you tell us sooner?" Phoebe exclaimed, also verging on tears.

"Because," Prue's shoulders slumped, "I'm not sure if They'll let me stay."

"Not sure if They'll let you stay?" Paige burst out, incredulous. "How can you ever say that? They have to let you stay! You're alive!"

"Technically!" The eldest yelled. "But not to the world! Not the mortal world. Everyone thinks I'm dead. Do you really think They'll let me stay after They already broke their precious rules to change the world and allow Andy to come back?" Prue smacked her fists against the door in frustration. "This is exactly why I didn't want to tell you! I didn't want to get your hopes up, if They chose not to let me stay!"

_**TO BE CONTINUED….**_


	26. Warrens Of Mass Destruction

A/N: You know Bush's favorite saying? "Weapons of mass destruction!" Yeah, that's my play for the day. By the way, I've reworded The Source vanquishing spell for my story, because obviously Prue never died the way she did in the show. So I've MOVED the name "Prudence" behind "Penelope," so we're talking about Melinda Warren's daughter Prudence, NOT our Charmed One Prue. (P.S. Ross, I'm hurt that you didn't review. j/k I know you're busy. Hope you liked it.)

_**Change Happens**_

_**Chapter 26: Warrens Of Mass Destruction**_

Phoebe approached her sisters with a grim face.

Piper, who'd been leaning her head quietly on the kitchen table, was instantly on her feet. "Pheebs, is something wrong?"

Phoebe moved to the center of the room. "We need the power of the entire Halliwell line to vanquish him."

Paige placed her hand over her bulging stomach. "But the kids," she breathed. "We can't put them in danger like that!"

Prue curled her fingers around the edge of the counter. "What if I phase them while they say the spell?"

"It's a Power of Four spell," Phoebe explained, "if the four of us physically connect, it'll make the spell the strongest."

"Thus our most hopeful chances of vanquishing him." Piper placed her hand to her head in despair. "How can this be happening? What did we do to deserve this?" Her eyes traveled to the ceiling, shimmering with anger. "What the hell did we do to deserve this?"

"Piper," Prue whispered. She wrapped her arms around her little sister's waist and pulled her close, allowing Piper to cry into her shoulder. "Now isn't the time. We have to worry about saving the world, before The Elders tell us what's going on."

"And if we don't?" Piper yanked herself away from the telekinetic and placed her hands on her hips. "What if we just not to? Hmm? What will happen then?"

"Then they'll make me go back to the afterlife out of spite."

Piper curled her fists in rage.

Phoebe placed a heavy hand on Piper's shoulder. "Lets just get through this, okay?" She looked to Prue. "We need a potion. The most powerful potion we've ever made."

Prue stalked over to the cabinet and pulled out a brewing pot, which she placed onto the stove. With a quick wave of her hand, she'd telekinetically summoned the Book of Shadows into her grasp. "I'm on it."

"Look, Piper, I think you and Paige should go get the kids. Together, you've got the most powerful powers."

"But the baby-"

"Will be fine," Paige cut in. She took her big sister's hand. "Pheebs is right. The kids will be the safest with us, until we can get The Source out of the way."

"I think Leo should stay Up There with Prissy, until we can get this mess sorted out."

"That's probably a good idea," the youngest agreed. She glanced over her shoulder at Phoebe. "Can you get that message to Leo?"

"Sure thing," the clairvoyant nodded. She watched her sisters orb out, and then she turned to Prue. After an awkward beat of silence, she asked, "So do you need any help with that?"

Without a word, Prue smiled and motioned for Phoebe to come over to her.

----

Persia gave a strained cough as she rounded the corner of Baker High School's quarter-mile running track. She'd just made it halfway through her four laps. To say she wasn't enjoying in the least was a severe understatement. Physical Education was, perhaps, her least favorite class of the day.

Usually Persia had a habit of staring at the dirt on the track as she ran, but every now and then she would glance up to make sure she wasn't heading straight for anything. She'd learned to do that the hard way the previous year. As she looked up, she noticed that Alyssa was about a yard ahead of her. _She looks pretty worn out_, the witch realized. She sucked in a deep breath and took off, breeching the gap between her and Alyssa Peterman.

"Pretty sucky, huh?" Persia shouted, as she made her way up to Alyssa.

Alyssa, rather than running, appeared to be going at a slow job. "Y-yeah," she sputtered, trying to stay in time with Persia.

"Are you alright?"

"Fine," Alyssa gasped. "J-j-just tired." Her face was beat red, and visible sweat beads were sliding down her forehead.

"You look beat."

"Beat red?" She attempted at a chuckle, but ended up in a coughing fit.

"Do you wanna take a rest?" Persia inquired, as they rounded another corner.

"No. Stetson will just add on more laps."

"What lap on are you on?"

Alyssa quickly turned her head away.

"Alyssa?"

Alyssa muttered something incoherently.

Persia bit her lip before trying again. "I'm really sorry, but I still didn't catch-"

"First!" Alyssa swung her head around. Her face now seemed extremely pasty. "My first lap, okay?"

The electrokinetic recoiled. She hadn't expected such an outburst, least of all from Alyssa Peterman. "I-I'm sorry. I just didn't hear you," she stuttered.

Alyssa heaved several breaths. "S-sorry," she whispered.

Suddenly Persia gasped. "Alyssa, watch ou-" She was too late, however. By the time she'd noticed the misplaced jump rope, obviously from the physical education class before them, it was too late. All she could do was stop as she saw Alyssa fall.

Alyssa toppled to the ground with a huge thud. Her face contorted in an unbelievable amount of pain, and she grabbed her sides in anguish. Her mouth dropped open and, involuntarily, she elicited one of the most ear piercing screams that Persia had ever heard.

"Oh my Goddess," Persia gasped, dropping to her knees. "Are you okay?"

Alyssa hadn't a chance to answer. Suddenly she began gasping, and her face started to turn redder than normal. Her small hands grabbed at her throat.

"What's wrong? What's going on?" Persia reached around Alyssa and patted her back, thinking that maybe she had swallowed the wrong way or something. Unfortunately, as she soon realized, it was the wrong thing to do. She watched in horror as Alyssa began to not only choke and gag, but recoil at the pats. She looked up to see that several of the students had started coming towards them after hearing the scream. She did the only thing she could think of. "Help! Hurry! Call an ambulance!"

----

"So what's all the fuss about?" Brandon leaned against the doorframe of the girls' restroom, staring quizzically at his best friend. He was waiting for her to smile, or make some sort of sarcastic quip about him being that close to the inside of the girls' bathroom. It never came. "Pearl?" His face changed as his posture stiffened. "What's the matter?"

For several minutes, Pearl just stared blankly at the brunette boy. Then, without meaning to, she fell forward directly into his grasp. She was livid.

"Pearl?" Brandon pulled her a little closer, and edged her to the wall. "Hey, what's wrong? You can tell me."

Pearl pursed her lips as she blinked back a surge of salt water from behind her eyes. "He's back."

"He? He who?" Brandon shook his head in utter confusion.

Pearl grabbed his wrist and shoved her face close to his. She could feel his breath on her skin. "The Source."

----

As Paige and Piper appeared in the hallway of their children's school, Paige's hands flew to her head.

"Paige?" Piper grabbed her baby sister's arm in concern. "Sweetie?"

"It's Max," Paige groaned. "He's calling me. He's in trouble!" Paige had only ever been assigned two charges, Max and Tyler, both of whom she took very seriously. Neither called her often, especially knowing that she had her own troubles now that she was pregnant with Prue and Andy's baby. So Paige knew that if either had dared to summon her, they had a damn good reason for it. And from the pain in her head, she knew that Max really needed her.

Piper patted her arm encouragingly. "Go help him, I'll evacuate the school."

"Thanks, Piper," the youngest Charmed One replied hurriedly. She orbed out as fast as she could, if only to stop the incessant ringing in her ears.

Piper turned on her heel, marching into the school office. A small part of her felt rather embarrassed to be there, because Paige had only just returned Pearl about ten minutes earlier, after having orbed her home to heal her. Now she was here to tell the school that they had to evacuate as soon as possible, because The Source was back and he was out for blood.

"Mrs. Wyatt!" The school secretary flashed a brilliant smile in Piper's direction. "How are you?"

Piper shifted uneasily. _Apparently Paige must have just grabbed her right out of class, and not even told the secretary._ Her face was grim. "Not good. Look, you need to evacuate the school."

The secretary's face instantly fell. She rose to her feet. "What's going on?" She asked, lowering her voice.

"There's a great danger," Piper explained carefully. "There's a good chance that an entire school full of young witches would be a perfect target."

"What's the demon?" The secretary inquired, picking up a phone from her desk.

Piper was silent for a minute, and then her voice cracked. "The Source."

----

A high pitched siren blared in every room in at Star Crest Academy, Pearl's private school. The alarm was far louder than the fire alarm, and during the time it went off, bright blue and purple flashing lights went off everywhere. The alarm had been specially designed for such demonic emergencies, where demons that were far more powerful than the average demon were thought to be after the school. The lights had been instated, just in case someone were to mistake the siren as a fire alarm.

Pearl cupped her hands over her ears as Brandon dragged her down the hall. Only moments after she'd made her stunning revelation, the sirens had begun to yowl as if in agony. "Brandon," she cried, "you're hurting me!"

Brandon stopped abruptly, almost making Pearl run into him. He turned, slowly, with a sorrowful look in his eyes. "I'm sorry." He gently released his grip around her wrist and extended a friendly hand. "But I want to make sure your cousins are okay."

Pearl placed her hand into his. "Why didn't you just teleport in the first place?"

Brandon's face flushed pink. "I guess you had me so riled up that I didn't think about it." He laced his fingers with his best friend's, and they vanished via his magical power.

----

"Mom!" Phiona bounded for the door, nearly running her mother down as she skid to a stop. She placed one hand over her ear in a futile attempt to hear Piper better.

"We've got to get everyone out of here," Piper yelled over the sirens. Blue and purple lights were flashing over her face, making her appear as though she had violet skin. Her face drew into a worried frown as she watched frightened children scramble around in the room in a panic. _The alarm has probably never gone off before_, she suddenly realized.

Piper Halliwell's hands arched out and the entire room came to a frozen stop, including the flashing lights and siren. There was one in every room of the school, however, so she could still here them clearly from the hallway and other rooms.

"Why did you do that? I thought we had to get them home?"

At that moment, Pearl and Brandon appeared out of mid air. They both looked around, shocked at the frozen quiet of the room. As they turned around, they saw the Charmed One, still with her hands outstretched.

"Pearl!" Phiona squealed, running into her big cousin's arms. "Shouldn't you be-"

"Brandon and I came to see if you were alright," the eldest Blessed One cut in.

"I'm, uh, fine. Mom and I were just talking about how to get everyone out of here."

Brandon glanced to Piper. "Mrs. Wyatt?"

Piper waved her hand. "I think I have an idea." She closed her eyes, remembering a spell from several years ago. "The child of every witch," Piper waved her hand across the room, "and to every child their place. Return what is here, to their rightful place."

Opening her eyes, she watched as swirls of gold glitter rippled around the room and funneled each of the frozen children, carrying them back to their rightful homes. When the golden dust had vanished, she brushed her hands together in satisfaction. Flicking her wrist, she unfroze the teacher and explained what she'd accomplished.

Piper strode over to the desk and grabbed a notepad and pen. Quickly, she jotted down her makeshift spell, a re-worded version of the spell her grandmother had made to send herself, Prue, and Phoebe home when they'd traveled to the seventies. "Just spread this around to the other teachers, and it'll send the kids home." Without waiting for a response, she briskly returned to her daughter and niece. "We've got to get home," she explained. "Phoebe and Prue are working on a potion-"

Phiona's jaw dropped nearly to the floor. "P-Prue?" She stuttered in disbelief. "A-Aunt Prue?"

Brandon, too, appeared stunned. He looked to Pearl, only to realize the look on her face was not shock. "You knew?"

"She helped mom send The Source away, temporarily." Pearl's head dropped to her chest. "I'm sorry I didn't say anything."

Brandon placed his hand to her shoulder. "I'm not mad at you," he whispered. "I'm shocked."

Pearl smiled weakly. "Me too. Look, you have to go home too, okay? This is too dangerous."

"Pearl I-"

"You have to." The Blessed One crossed her arms defiantly. "This is a Halliwell job, and requires Halliwell magic. I don't want you getting hurt trying to do something that you shouldn't be involved with."

"But Pearl-"

"No buts, Bran." Pearlinda cocked her head to the side. "I will send you home if I have to." Her voice softened. "Don't make me use my magic on you."

Brandon looked hesitant, and then finally heaved a sigh. "Call me as soon as you've sent his ass back to oblivion."

Pearl grinned, pulling her friend into a farewell hug. "I will, I promise." She hung there a moment, before she felt his body dematerialize, and she stumbled forward. "Okay. So how do we get home?" As the words left her mouth, the room unfroze and the sirens blared back to life.

Piper cupped her hands around her mouth and looked to the ceiling. "Paige!"

----

"Demons!" Paige poked her head up from behind the overturned sofa that she and Max were hiding behind. She watched as the pair of demons were picked up in a swathe of orbs, carried in a blue trail across the room, and slammed against the opposite wall as they reformed. "Max, now!"

Behind the sofa, Max placed his hands to the sides of his head and closed his eyes.

Paige watched in amazement as the demons' began to clutch their chests in agony, and crumble to the floor. _It looks like their having heart attacks._ Several minutes passed, before she ducked back down as a cloud of dust and sparks from their final explosions came billowing at her. "That was amazing. What exactly did you do to them?"

"I psychokinetically restricted the blood flow to their vital organs, particularly their hearts, and it killed them." Max grabbed the edge of the sofa and staggered up. He was clutching his side, which had a massive bleeding gash in it.

"Do you need me to take you to Leo?"

Max struggled to sit down on the sofa. "If that-"

Suddenly Paige placed her hands to her head and moaned. Since she'd been pregnant, the calls from her family and charges had seemed louder than usual.

"Paige?"

"My sister's calling."

Max waved his arm. "Go to her. I can take care of myself."

"Are you sure?"

"Fine. Positive." He squinted his eyes and within minutes, gauze and a bottle of peroxide were floating down the stairs, and on over to the sofa. "And my mom left me some spells to help speed up healing, in her Book of Shadows."

Paige flashed an apologetic look towards her charge. "I'm sorry I can't heal you."

"It's okay. You orbed in just in time to get me out of their dark crystal trap. And you've got that teleorbing thing that other whitelighters don't have." He coughed as he opened the bottle of peroxide, and poured some onto his wound. He grimaced.

"Are you sure I can't help?"

"Go! The Charmed Ones are more important."

"Okay. Call me if you need me." She orbed.

Max watched her orbs disappear, and he leaned back painfully into the sofa. He dabbed the gauze onto the bloody gash and cringed. _If Paige could heal, things would be so much easier_, he sighed.

----

"About time," Piper grumbled. She placed her hands to her hips. "Was Max okay?"

"A couple low level demons caught him by surprise and gave him a nasty gash on the side, and then they trapped him in a dark crystal ring. He was calling me to come help him out of it. I got there just in time."

Piper tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Thank goodness."

"Yeah," the younger Charmed One murmured. She grabbed her sister by the wrist. "You guys comin'?"

Pearl nodded confidently. She and Phiona, being the closest of the Halliwell cousins, already had their hands linked. She quickly grabbed her mom's free hand and nodded. "Lets go kick some demonic ass."

As Paige orbed them out, her voice bellowed, "Don't say that word!"

----

Persia paced back and forth in front of the girls' locker room, waiting for the bell to ring. She only had one more period to go, and she was hoping to get through it as fast as possible. She wanted to go visit Alyssa in the hospital, which was where she'd been whisked away to.

Persia, as well as the rest of the class, had been told that Alyssa had suffered an asthma attack during laps. While that may have been partially true, Persia had a gut feeling that there was more to the story that the paramedics either didn't know, or weren't telling. She also knew that since becoming a witch, she should always trust her instincts. At the moment, Persia Halliwell's instincts were telling that she had to find out all she could about Alyssa Peterman, whether the girl wanted her to or not.

Persia began to incessantly tap the toe of her black, Bronx ankle boot against the waxy hallway floor. As soon as the bell rang, she slung her backpack over her shoulder and dashed off down the hallway, narrowly missing a door that swung open in front of her and left a slew of gabby teenagers behind her.

----

"Aunt Prue," Phiona screamed. The little witch ran into her late aunt's arms, hugging her with everything she had. "I missed you so much," she gushed. She didn't mean to, but she was crying as she buried her face into Prue's raven hair.

Prue smiled, running her hand through Phiona's near blonde hair. "I missed you too, Phi. I missed you all so much."

"How long are you staying?"

Prue set her niece back on the ground, and kneeled to her eye level. "I don't know, sweetie. I honestly don't know."

Phiona wiped at her wet cheeks with the sleeve of her Hello Kitty sweat jacket. "Pandora and Uncle Andy and gonna be so happy to see you! Wait, have they seen you yet? Oh, oh! If they haven't, can I tell them?"

Prue looked above Phiona's head, eyeing her sisters. As much as she wanted to see Andy and Pandora, something in the back of her mind told her that it was a bad idea. _If I can't stay, I don't want to know how Andy will react._ Looking down on them from her place in the afterlife, she'd already seen how miserable Andy had been. She knew first hand how bad it was, because she'd been in his shoes once. She didn't know if she could do that to him again.

"Aunt Prue?"

"I don't know, sweetie. But I think it'd be best if I told them myself, okay?"

Phiona nodded faintly. "I guess."

"I'm not trying to be mean," Prue quickly explained. "I just want to have some alone time with them, okay?"

"I understand," Phiona announced. She looked a little less distraught. "Okay. I can keep my mouth shut." She pinched her finger and thumb together, and made a zipping motion over her lips.

Prue patted her niece's back encouragingly. "That's my girl."

"So what're we doing?" Pearl inquired, looking from her mother to her aunts.

Phoebe pulled a potion bottle from the table and proudly held it up. "Prue and I just finished making The Source's vanquishing potion. The best damn potion we've ever made, if I do say so myself."

"The most powerful?"

Prue nodded. "And we have extras, just in case." Prue flicked her eyes in the direction of a rack of red potions. "We made one for everyone, so stock up."

"How're we gonna get him here?" Phiona reached up on her tip toes and snagged a potion vial from the counter, pocketing it.

Again, Phoebe pulled a piece of paper from her pocket. "I've got that covered too. It'll take the Power of Four to summon him, and the entire Warren line to vanquish him."

"Doesn't that mean everyone has to be here?" Pearl leaned against the corner of the island. "Where's Persia, Pam, and Pandora?"

"Cole is picking up Pam and Persia," Phoebe announced. She leaned over the sink and flicked on the faucet. "Andy picked Pandora up already. She's in Kindergarten, remember? They only have half days."

----

Persia's eyes flicked between her Creative Writing teacher and the wall clock above the door. She frowned. _Two hours._ Suddenly the door opened, catching her attention. The witch walked a boy walk in with a yellow paper in his hands. _One of the Office Aides_, she thought. It was at that point that she realized her teacher was motioning to her.

Persia's brows shot up in confusion. 'Me?' She mouthed, looking funnily at the teacher. When her teacher glared, she got up and scurried to the desk.

"Your father's waiting in the office for you."

"My father?"

The teacher slid the yellow note at her. "A Mr. Cole Turner?"

"Oh! Right, my father," Persia acknowledged. She pocketed the note. "What does he want?"

"He's picking you up."

"Will I be back?"

The teacher shook his head boredly. "Take your things, he's signed you out for the rest of the day."

Persia's heart seemed to jump. Her mother and step-father tried to avoid pulling her out of school as much as possible, knowing that they couldn't just tell Baker High that it was a demonic attack, like they could at Star Crest Academy. She flashed a weak smile as she slipped her backpack over her arms, and jetted out the door.

Persia's stomach was pulling back flips as she reached the office. "Hey," she greeted Cole.

Cole patted her shoulder. "Thank goodness you're okay."

Persia swallowed hard. _Thanks_, she thought sarcastically. _That really helps my nerves!_

"Thank you," Cole exclaimed to the office secretaries, as he slipped out the door with his step-daughter.

"What's going on?" The electrokinetic whispered through gritted teeth.

Cole ushered her out the front doors of the school, and pulled her behind the wall. "We don't have time for questions," he said as he shimmered her away.

----

The Source leaned comfortably in his throne, gazing about his looming throne room. The only light came from the fireball he was bouncing within his bony palm, and that was the way he liked it. Glancing over at his bedchamber, he could hear the faint shuffling of Scorpia's feet as she bustled around.

Suddenly he felt a tug. Alarmed, he looked around. Nobody was around him, he was sure of that. Relaxing, he felt it again. This time it was stronger, and accompanied by a magical wind. The fireball instantly extinguished and he curled his fist. "No!"

That was when he saw the tornado of bright spheres that had begun to form under him. He waves his arm and the entire cavern shook with telekinetic fury. It only seemed to enhance the power of the spheres, which were rapidly crawling up the base of his black cloak and encircling his body. He screamed in fury. "Damn witches!" Then he heard their voices. Each one individually at first, but as seconds passed, they began to meld into one powerful voice.

"Powers of the witches rise, course unseen across the skies! Source of Evil we call you near, come to us and settle here!"

The Source attempted to flame. They roared around the lower half of his body, but only for a millisecond, before they were diffused by the magic of the Power of Four.

"Powers of the witches rise, course unseen across the skies! Source of Evil we call you near, come to us and settle here! Powers of the witches rise, course unseen across the skies! Source of Evil we call you near, come to us and settle here!"

He screamed, just as Scorpia appeared in the doorway. He could hear their strong voices filling the whole of his throne room now. "Attack them!" He bellowed. The sheer brutality of his voice literally caused a chunk of rock to come shattering to the floor of the chamber.

"Powers of the witches rise, course unseen across the skies! Source of Evil we call you near, come to us and settle here!"

That did it. The whirling white lights engulfed his entire person and sucked him up, disappearing into the ceiling of the chamber. The Source was gone, summoned for the big battle against the current generation of Warren witches.

Scorpia placed her hand to the scorpion necklace dangling at her chest. She smiled as it began to glow a deep red. "This is working out all too well."

----

"Powers of the witches rise, course unseen across the skies! Source of Evil we call you near, come to us and settle here!" Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige stood in the attic. A white chalk outline had been drawn under them in the shape of their family crest, the Triquetra.

Prue, being the leader, stood at the tip of the topmost arch. Piper and Phoebe had taken their places on the triangle tips of the arches behind Prudence. Finally, Paige stood in the center of her three sisters, over the triangle that joined all three arches together. She stood as the glue that held their power as one.

The hairs on the back of Paige's neck stood at attention, and goose flesh flooded her pale skin. Looking to Prue, she whispered, "He's here." As if to punctuate her words, she cringed at the shattering of glass from downstairs.

Phoebe looked petrified. "I thought he was supposed to be summoned here, in the attic?"

"Doesn't matter," Piper spoke up. "He'll find us, and when he does-" Her body sailed through the air towards a dusty wooden chiffonier.

"Pearl's couch!" Paige screeched, throwing out her hand to direct the sofa to orb out and catch her big sister, making her land safely within the dusty cushions of the old sofa.

Lifting her arms, Piper expelled her most destructive power and watched as The Source's black particles fled in all different directions. She placed a hand to her neck and rubbed it.

Prue ran to her sister's side, pulling her to a standing position. "Are you hurt?"

"No. I'm fine. But we've gotta get the girls before he…" Piper's voice trailed off as she held out her hands again. Their arch enemy was already beginning to swarm back together.

"We're already here," Pearl announced. She strode into the attic. Behind her, like a marching band, followed the youngest Blessed Ones: Phiona, Pamela, and Pandora.

Bringing in the rear, Persia marched into the attic with her currently youngest cousin on her hip. "Just tell us when to go."

"Behind you!"

Prissy, already turned around in Persia's arms, saw the particles rapidly coming together behind her. Apparently them coming together in the center of the room had been a façade, because they were no longer there. The little girl balled her fists and shoved them over her big cousin's shoulders. A blinding flash filled the room.

When Prue could see again, she arced out her arm and sent the attic door flying off its hinges. The door, being well aimed, lodged into The Source's body and sent him reeling over the wooden floor.

Persia shifted her cousin from one hip to another, and thrust out her hand palm first, emitting a yard long bolt of electricity that slammed directly into her arch enemy.

"Aaagh!" The cloaked demon was on his feet in no time, sending a well placed string of fireballs towards Paige and Phoebe.

The psychic jumped into the air, hovering above the lot of them. One, however, caught the edge of her foot and sent her reeling into a wooden dresser. Needless to say, it burst under the force and she toppled back first into the ground.

Paige, on the other hand, let out a yelp as her hands flew to her face and she dissolved into a flurry of whitelighter orbs. The fireballs aimed at her glided harmlessly through her orbs, just as Shax's energy ball had the night The Source had learned of her existence.

Phiona tossed out her hands in a Piper-like fashion, and a cloud of orbs exploded under The Source's feet. Like marbles on a hardwood floor, they made the Demon King lose his balance and topple to the ground with a thud like a jackhammer on cement.

"Hey baby, I'm gonna put you down, okay?" Persia knelt to the ground and set her baby cousin down, to which he quickly stepped in front of the child to protect her with her own body. Her eyes gleamed as their golden flecks seemed to take on a life of their own.

_**----Flashback----**_

"_I… I… l-ove… y-," Alternate Andy didn't finish his sentence, death taking him quickly and letting his head roll from Alternate Pamela's blood soaked hands. She continued to sob into his rapidly cooling chest before noticing Persia standing in the doorway with an uncharacteristic look of sheer rage on her face._

_Wordlessly,Persia raised both hands. There was a crackling noise, Persia's golden brown hair began to blow about in her face before she produced more voltage than she ever had, the jet of yellow lightning almost overwhelming its creator as a trickle of blood seeping from her nose. The cataclysmic attack struck Kahn loudly, as if it was a thunder clap. He screamed violently as the attack scorched and burned away his flesh, before vaporizing him completely and reducing him to a pile of dust on the floor._

_**----Flashback----**_

Persia rubbed both her hands together. She could feel static electricity building within them. Her heart was pumping so hard she thought it was about to explode from her chest. She had only ever tried this maneuver once, and it had been for her best friend in vengeance for Pamela Walker's, father's death.

Raising her hands, her hair began to blow outward from the high voltage electricity that was radiating from her body. Hot yellow sparks were clicking all over the fabric of her clothing. Suddenly the sound of a million pots and pans banging together filled the air: thunder. Then it came.

A streak of lightning, nearly twice Persia's current size, zigzagged from the ceiling of the attic. It was blindingly neon yellow, and radiated with a white hot glow of electric charges. Persia's eyes flickered dangerously. Suddenly a gush of scarlet blood fled her nose, coming in waves down her mouth and soaking into her clothing. As soon as her lightning bolt had hit her target, directly head on no les, she was literally blown off her feet by the blast which was clearly of atomic weapon proportion, and crashed helplessly against the wall where shelves collapsed atop her limp body.

A red flare appeared in front of Phoebe, and Astral Prue dove over her little sister as a shockwave exploded through the air, sending each Halliwell in opposite directions. When she opened her eyes, she saw that everything was covered in a thick layer of brown dust. She faded away, leaving the dust to hang in the air for a second, before falling to the ground next to Phoebe.

Prue pulled her head back from her chest, to find that her physical body had landed under a pile of boxes. Activating her power to phase, she moved freely out from under the boxes. She could see no sign of The Source, so she immediately made her way over to her heroic niece. "Persia?"

"I've got her," Pearl assured. She was kneeling at her cousin's side with her hands over Persia's blood covered face. It only took a few moments, but soon the blood from her cousin's face disappeared and she heard the telltale gasp.

Prue offered a hand, helping the electrokinetic to her feet. "That's some power, kid. Where did you learn to do that?"

Persia looked down at her golden locket and placed her hand over it. "Lets just say that there's someone who brings out the best in me." Her eyes flashed. "We don't have a lot of time. Where are the crystals?"

Prue spun around, noticing that Paige had never orbed in. "Paige!" When her sister didn't answer, she cupped her hands over her mouth and screamed again. "Paige!"

Silence filtered through the room. Then a small blue glow erupted in its center, and Paige appeared. Her face was sweaty, and she looked tired as hell.

"Paige!" Piper screeched. "What the hell happened?"

Paige grabbed at her swollen stomach, looking down at her wet feet. "My water broke!"

A swirl of particles exploded inches from Paige's face, forming into The Source himself. He thrust out a bony hand and grabbed Paige's neck, pulling her off the ground and yanking her to his hooded face. "And just in time for the finale!"

_**TO BE CONTINUED….**_

A/N: So gals and guys, I'm writing my own version of the _Charmed_ season finale which will be called, _Fourever Charmed_. And seeing as how you guys have already seen a "preview" (although it wasn't much of anything) of Kern's version, I feel compelled to show you a version for mine. (P.S. The bold lettering is the text/writing equivalent of the announcer's voice over.)

* * *

**The Charmed Ones have been through hell and back over their eight years since becoming witches. From losing lovers...**

_"No!" Andy screamed, running through the front doors of the Halliwell Manor. His gun was drawn, and he began to shoot wildly at Rodriguez._

_The bullets didn't faze the demon. He spun around towards Inspector Trudeau, ejected his arm, and threw a ripple of electricity at him._

_Aghast, Phoebe screamed. "Andy!"_

_Distracted, Rodriguez watched in satisfaction as the mortal police inspector hurdled into the next room and crashed directly into a glass cabinet, which immediately collapsed from the sheer force of the impact._

_Piper rose her hands, freezing the demon. "Are you okay?"_

_"Yeah, is Prue okay?" Phoebe asked._

_"Yeah, she's out cold." Piper moved quickly into the next room, with Phoebe in toe. As she reached her sister's lover, she knelt down and checked his pulse. She looked to her little sister and regretfully announced, "Oh my god! He's dead!"_

**...to losinga sister...**

_A tornado of wind spiraled through the front doors of the Halliwell Manor, knocking Prue and Piper Halliwell to the ground. After a clap of thunder, the gray demon Shax emerged from the raging funnel._

_"Dear god!"_

_"No!" Prue clambered to her feet, and shoved Dr. Giffiths out of the way of Shax's wrath. Unfortunately for the eldest of the Charmed sisters, she didn't have enough time to defend herself before Shax hurled a massive energy ball into her chest. She literally burst through the wall, landing in a pile of debris on the other side. A pool of dark red blood began to halo her head._

**...to finding another.**

_"Okay, lets get one thing straight. I am only doing this to save her. I'm not remotely interested in reconstituting...The Charmed Ones." As she and her younger sister, Phoebe, round the corner of the steps down to the bottom floor of the Halliwell Manor, they see a young woman waiting for them. She can see that the door was left open._

_"I...the door was open. I'm sorry. I shouldn't be here," the young woman sputtered. She turned to leave, but Phoebe quickly stopped her._

_"No, no, no, no, no! We were just coming for you!"_

_The young woman turned around slowly. "You were?"_

_"Yep. Come on in. Welcome. I'm Phoebe, and this is..." Phoebe hooked arms with the dark haired woman, pulling her over to the edge of the stairs, directly under the chandelier._

_"Piper. I know. I've been at your club. Pretty great."_

_"Thank you. And you are?"_

_"Paige. My name is Paige."_

_"Hmm, another 'P'. Imagine that."_

_"It's nice to meet you." Piper held out her hand, taking Paige's. As their hands locked, a bright blue-white light bloomed down from the chandelier, engulfing the three women._

_Quickly, Paige moved away. "Okay, what was that?"_

_"I think that means you're supposed to be here," Leo announced._

**But with Paige and Phoebe dead, Piper Halliwell has no other choice than to journey back through time to save her present.**

_Horrified, Piper screamed and shielded her eyes._

_Patty gasped, pulling the sheets up around herself and scooted backwards, leaning against the headboard on the bed. "Demons!" She raises both her hands, looking ready to catch a ball, and emitted her freezing power. To her shock and surprise, only Leo froze._

_Victor stared in shock. He moved closer to his wife. "Why didn't she freeze?"_

"_Because," Piper said as she pulled her hands away from her eyes, "I'm your daughter."_

**But one wrong step in the past can have disastrous impacts on the future...**

_Phoebewatched asthe little boyran back over to his sand castle, and then turned sharply to her ex. "What's going on?"_

_Cole placed his hand to his head. "You were never supposed to find out," Cole sighed._

"_What do you mean? What are you talking about?"_

"_That little boy over there," Cole said as he pointed to child. "He's our son."_

**Will the Power of Three prevail?**

_Billie closed her eyes. She stood up, turning towards The Charmed Ones. Her eyes were larger, and brighter than ever before. Her arms hung at her sides, clenched fists filled with ashes of her dead sister. Opening her fingers, they ashes fell from her fingers and scattered through the air, landing at her feet. "_You're_ going to pay for that!" The whole of Magic School began to shake._

_Shelves, bookcases, tables, and overturned as they were flung around the room. Every window in sight, and even those that weren't, exploded as they cracked under the telekinetic pressure. The ceiling began to cave in, and plaster exploded everywhere. A huge crack in the floor ran from the edge of Billie's feet, all the way across the room, splitting the floor between Paige's, who was standing in the middle of her sisters._

"_The Power of Three," Piper whispered._

_Phoebe jerked, grabbing Piper's hand and finishing off a circle. "The Power of Three." She looked to Paige, nodding._

"_The Power of Three will set us free! The Power of Three will set us free! The Power of Three will set us free!" A blue sheen seemed to glow around the sisters three._

**Or will they need a little help from the past?**

_Phoebe froze. Her entire body began to shake a little. She knew the voice instantly. It had been one she hadn't heard in five long years. She turned around slowly, her eyes welling with tears as she did so. "Prue?"_

_Prudence Halliwell sat crossed legged on her younger sister's bed. Instead of the classic white gown, she was wearing a bubblegum pink, satin halter dress. Her classic raven hair hung in waves over her shoulders._

**Will they finally get their chance to be, "Fourever Charmed," or will they die trying? Find out this Sunday, on the series finale of _Charmed_!**


	27. The Halliwell That Rocks The Cradle

A/N: You know about "the hand that rocks the cradle," right? Well, this is about the Halliwells, so take it from there. ;) Gotta love 'em. (When Kern isn't in charge of things.)

_**Change Happens**_

_**Chapter 27: The Halliwell That Rocks The Cradle**_

"Put her down." Pearl's voice had taken on a new tone that not even she knew she had. It was low and menacing, and liable to send chills of the spine of almost anything. She placed her hands in front of her, much in the way Piper did when she first got her power to freeze, and squinted in the way that Prue used to when she first got her power.

A bright burst of white light began to glow between her palms, forming into the largest exploding light ball that she'd ever created. It was double the size of normal light spheres. Without warning, it sprang from her hands and crashed into The Source head on. On contact, his entire body spun into swirling particles.

Paige slammed against the floor, instantly released from The Source's grip as he exploded. Her face contorted as pain rocketed through her stomach from the fall, and the impending labor. "Oh Goddess!"

Prue, Piper, and Phoebe charged at their sister. Piper slunk to her knees to wrap her arms protectively around her baby sister's shoulders. Prue and Phoebe each laced their fingers with Paige's, both for comfort and for the sake of the spell that they were about to cast.

As the particles swirled together, reconnecting before their eyes, Paige threw out her hand. "Crystals, circle!" Several clouds of orbs deposited crystals in a circular formation around The Source, the moment he materialized.

Persia scooped Prissandra from the group, entwining their fingers and holding the little girl close. "Patricia, Penelope, Prudence, Melinda!"

Pearl motioned for her fellow Blessed cousins to gather around her. They took hands, forming un unbroken chain next to Persia and Prissandra. Each of them opened their mouths to speak, all talking as if they were one person. "Astrid, Helena, Laura, and Grace!"

Prue and Phoebe each squeezed Paige's hands reassuringly. Piper rubbed Paige's shoulders. Paige winced as another contraction raked over her body. However, in that moment, they each put their own feelings aside and began to chant in time with each other. "Halliwell witches stand strong beside us!"

A mystical air fluttered throughout the Halliwell attic. Then a shimmer of visible, unadulterated magic seemed to spread over everything, including through the very bodies of the living Warren witches. There was a pale pink sheen above the Charmed Ones' heads.

Within the glow, faces began to emerge. All of them had beautiful features which could be seen within the faces of each Halliwell in the room, including high cheekbones. Then the face of Patricia Halliwell appeared, followed by Penelope Halliwell, a woman who bore a striking resemblance to Prue, and then a face very familiar to the family. The last face was young and sweet. Golden blonde hair draped down the sides of her face, and her eyes sparkled. Melinda Warren.

Melinda's gaze hardened as she locked her gleaming eyes on the trapped Source of All Evil. Unlike the faces, the ancestors, which had appeared before her, she did not fade away. Instead, her hair began to ruffle around her shoulders as she directed her attention at Paige. "Now."

The murmur of countless ancestors filled the room, including Melinda Warren's. Their voices had melded together to form a symphony of chanting, literally combining the powers of the Warren line.

With the help of her sisters, Paige rose to her feet. Sweat droplets ran down each side of her waxy, pale face and her dark hair was plastered to her skin. Despite her current state, she still held a deadly gaze. The whitelighter-witch placed a hand to her bulging belly and opened her mouth to finish the last line of the spell. "Halliwell witches stand strong beside us. Vanquish this evil from time and space!"

A golden light burst from the pink glow above the sisters heads and projected to a spot on the floor between them and The Source. When the blinding beauty of the light vanished, Melinda Warren stood proudly in all her glory. Her arms extended as far as they would go, and a wall of telekinetic energy instantly separated her descendants from The Source.

Within the crystal cage, The Source was screaming in agony as the full power of the Warren witches hit his body. Flames were erupting around him, charring his deeply yellowed hands. Suddenly a pile of ash fell to the floor of the cage, all that remained of his black cloak. His entire body was charred, and his insides were flashing with fire. His actual skeleton could be seen as he burned alive.

The force field from the crystals wavered as explosions of fire rocketed against it. Without warning, it expanded to the size of a hot air balloon and like a sonic boom, it exploded. The white crystals flew in every different direction, and a cataclysmic fireball ripped through the entire half of the attic that the Halliwells were not on. It was like an explosion inside of a silo.

When Pearl opened her eyes again, the opposite half of the attic was completely black. Dark smoke was swirling off the walls and floor, but The Source was gone. Not even a pile of ashes remained. She exhaled, not even realizing that she'd been holding her breath. She also noticed that Melinda Warren was gone. _She protected us from the blast! It surely would've killed us all!_

She moved away from her cousins, inspecting the floor. There was a distinct, black smoking line that separated the two halves of the attic. She realized that her mother and aunts were just inches from where the line was. Pearlinda's heart gave a little jolt. _He's really gone!_

Dropping back to her knees, Paige howled in pain. "Aaagh!"

"We've got to get her to the hospital!"

----

Four rocky walls surrounded Destine, as he stood waiting in one of the most secretive chambers known to magic. The room was relatively dark, except for spaced out burning touches along the walls, which had obviously been placed there recently. Most likely for whatever purpose the Angel of Destiny had for being there.

Destine was leaning against one of five marble pillars that seemed to be carved directly from the cave itself. The top of the pillar was as smooth and shiny as polished marble, and bore calligraphic engravings: 'One shall have the power to move things with her mind; one shall have the power to freeze time; one shall have the power to see the past, present, and future; and one shall have the power to orb things with her mind...The Power Of Four.'

The Angel of Destiny held up his wrist and lifted back the cuff of his gold trimmed robe. A golden watch rested on his wrist. He groaned, and began to tap his foot incessantly.

"Are you bored, Destine?"

Destine looked up, flashing an irate glare in the direction the voice had come from. He couldn't see her, but he knew she was there.

A violet outline began to move in mid air, forming the outline of a slinky woman. Once the bright purple outline had connected at both ends, it filled with a flashy purple light that blinded the Angel of Destiny. As it faded away, it left a female in its place.

She was about six feet tall, and supermodel thin. Her skin looked like dark, polished oak with a bronze glaze. She was dressed rather ancient Egyptian themed, with a thick golden breast plate and a golden, jewel encrusted head dress in the shape of a semi sun, with five points. Gold bands ringed her upper arms and wrists, and she wore a scarlet red, silken skirt that began just below her belly button and ended at her ankles.

The woman's bare stomach was dotted with colorful dots of purple and silver paint. And although it should've clashed with her flashy red skirt, they seemed to compliment each other. Her hair was long and silken. It appeared pitch black from afar, but as she moved under the light of the torches, it gleamed a coffee bean brown.

Destine moved away from the pillar, striding towards the female being. "What took you so long, Akasha?"

It was true. Akasha. The creatress of the legendary Akashic Records. She was a Goddess, without a doubt. Like the Angel of Death, she was also a neutral being. In fact, it was why she chose only mortals to be her Prophetess or Prophet Guardians, because they were not good or evil.

Being the ultimate psychic, she purposefully choice beings in which she knew would have no greater purpose in the world. Forgotten beings. It had been why she'd chosen Nicolette's child, for she knew the young mother had been destined to give the child up for adoption. That was where Akasha would've stepped in and taken the child, raised it and trained it as the Prophetess Guardian. The Akashic Heiress.

"Visions," she replied simply. She held out her hands and an ancient tome appeared. It was about as twice as large as the Warren Book of Shadows, and was marked with a pentagram. Unlike the Book of Shadows, Akashic's tome looked brand new. In actuality, however, it had been around since the beginning of time.

"Lets skip the small talk," Destine replied irritably. "I need to know what you've brought me here for. This is the second time in two weeks!"

"And it's for a good reason," Akasha assured.

"A good reason? Am I supposed to save another mortal being that is set to be taken at the hands of Death?" The Angel of Destiny glowered. "Oh, wait, I can't very well do that now, can I? We haven't found a replacement since you instructed me to banish Death." He crossed his arms angrily. "And now I'm forced to act out both my job as the Angel of Destiny, and take up helping souls to the afterlife until we find the new Death."

"She'll come soon enough," Akasha promised. She held her hand over the top of her book, and the pages began to fly open under her hand. "Today is about Prudence."

"Prudence? As in the Charmed One, Prudence?" Destine's eyes flickered. "The dead Charmed One?"

"She's not dead anymore," the Goddess replied. The pages of her book stopped, and she carried the heavy tome over to the Angel of Destiny. "See? You have to let her stay alive."

"Let her stay? How did she come back in the first place?"

"That's another story altogether."

Destine frowned. "You're supposed to be a neutral being, not siding with good."

"You know, it's ironic that you say that, being that you are the giver of destiny for the side of good. I would think you'd want me to be handing out favors to your side."

"Not if it tips the balance of power, and therefore affects the very thing I'm entrusted to protect. Destiny isn't something to be toyed with."

Akasha rolled her pair of piercing, purple eyes. "You know, Kumani never fights with me when I have to instruct her to bring back evil, per destined laws."

"That's because Kumani is Demon of Destiny," Destine snapped. "Of course she doesn't care about the balance of power, only that her side wins."

Akasha flicked her wrist, obviously tired of Destine's ravings. "I can never have a polite conversation with you. You complain too much, Destine."

Destine tapped his nails on one of the shiny pillars. "Are you going to get to the point?"

"Oh! That. Right." Akasha flipped her book closed. "Because Prue intercepted Prada's 'package,' there has been a ripple effect in destiny ever since."

"Wouldn't you, being the great psychic that you are, have seen that coming?"

"I see the destiny that is supposed to come," the Goddess explained. "When destiny is interpreted incorrectly, as Phoebe's premonition was, it can cause side effects for years to come. Thus my visions that would have and should have happened, are now obsolete. Which means I have to invoke the help of the Angel of Demon of Destinies, to help me try and repair the damage. That's you and Kumani, okay?"

"Please humor me, and get to the point. What is it that I'm supposed to do?"

"Paige has gone into labor. I need you to relay a message from The Elders, telling the sisters that They've decided Prue can stay because she and her sisters successfully vanquished The Source of All Evil. Then you'll have to fix the spell, sending my Guardian from Paige's womb to her mother's. You'll also have to erase all the memories of her death, just as The Elders' spell did when Andrew came back."

"The Elders won't be pleased about this."

"They never are." Snapping her fingers, her ancient tome full of the Akashic Records vanished. "Spit spot, Destine. We haven't a moment to waste." No sooner had the words left her mouth, did her body begin to glow a mystifying lavender, before fading into a purple outline, and finally disappearing all together. "Chop chop!"

----

"Breathe, Paige, breathe!"

The youngest Halliwell sister gripped the arms of her wheelchair in anguish. After a few strained breathes, Paige latched onto Phoebe's arm and yanked her down so that their faces were mere inches apart. "Breathe? Breathe? Does it look like I can breathe right now?"

Phoebe jerked back. "Oh, don't start with me, Paige Matthews. I've already given birth to two girls, thank you very much! Long before you had Pearl, mind you!"

Paige's eyes flickered dangerously. "Phoebe!"

Piper smacked her precognitive sister upside the head. "Phoebe, you had better not start anything while Paige is giving birth to our niece!" She waved her hand threateningly. "Believe me, I will find a way to send you to oblivion!"

Ignoring her sisters' feud, Prue knelt down next to the wheelchair as they stopped it at the front desk. "Thank you, Paige. Thank you for doing this for me."

Paige blinked back stinging tears. She grabbed at her big sister's wrist with a clammy hand. "Can you stay with me?" Her voice was small and pleading.

Prue's blue eyes bore into Paige. She placed her hand over Paige's forehead and leaned close to her ear. "I will."

Piper yanked her cell phone from her pocket and shoved it at Phoebe. "Speed dial three."

"What's this for?"

"Call Andy, and tell him his daughter's on the way!" Piper flicked her wrist in the direction of the waiting room. "Hurry, go!"

"Okay, okay!" Phoebe snapped, turning to head off. As she did, she stopped in her tracks. Looking around, she realized everything and everyone had stopped moving. _Time stopped._ She whirled on her heel. "Piper, why did you-"

"It wasn't me!" Piper held up her hands in defense, looking just as confused as Phoebe. Then her eyes widened. "Whoever you are, show yourself!"

"The Charmed Ones. It's a pleasure to meet you." A plump, older gentleman walked out from one of the hospital's corridors. He was clad in flowing white robes, trimmed in gold and he had a clear air of authority surrounding him. He smiled warmly at the sisters.

"Who are you?" Prue asked threateningly. She held out her arm, ready to fling the man into the nearest wall if need be.

The man held out a welcoming hand. "I'm Destine," he introduced. "The Angel of Destiny."

Piper and Phoebe exchanged astonished looks.

Never missing a beat, Prue stood her ground. "Why are you here?"

"To fix things," Destine announced. He pointed to Paige, who was still struggling in the wheelchair. "I have a message from The Elders.

Piper crossed her arms. "The Elders? Why didn't they just send Leo?"

"Leo doesn't have the power to fix this," Destine explained. "I do." He turned to Paige. "First of all, we need to fix this." He flicked his gaze in the direction of Paige's stomach, which appeared ready to burst. "It is not Ms. Matthews' job to give birth to the Akashic Heiress, it's yours, Prudence. You took that task upon yourself when you got in the way of Prada's duties."

"What're you talking about?" Phoebe asked skeptically.

"I'm talking about this." Destine waved his hand towards and eldest and youngest Charmed Ones.

A pink glow burst from Paige's massive belly to Prue's. It appeared like a funnel; larger on Paige's end and gradually got smaller as it extended to Prue's. Then a tiny white sphere bolted from Paige's stomach and began to beam through the pink light. As it traveled, the pink funnel widened for it until it evened out in the middle, only to reverse and become larger at Prue's end and skinny at Paige's. In a flash, the light was instantly vacuumed into Prue's belly. Prue's stomach expanded like an inflating balloon, at the same time that Paige's stomach began to shrink like a popped balloon.

Paige touched her face. Her hands were no longer clammy, and sweat no longer streaked her cheeks. As she looked over to her older sister, however, she could see that Prue was now under extreme amounts of pressure. As jumped to her feet and shoved the wheelchair behind Prue. "Sit down," she coaxed, lighting pressing her sister into the already warmed seat.

Piper's face was white. "But they'll find out Prue's supposed to be dead!" Piper gasped.

The Angel of Destiny's brows shot up. "Do you really think I'd forget about that little fact? Ms. Halliwell, my power goes far beyond sending a fetus from womb to womb." He held his hand in the air and spread out his fingers, then he began to wave his hand in small circles. Minutes passed, and then he smiled brightly. "All taken care of."

"All taken care of?" Phoebe crossed her arms. "How? How can you take care of all our problems with just a simple wave of your hand?" She moved quietly to her moaning sister, and began to gently massage her shoulders as Piper had done for Paige during their battle with The Source.

"Magic."

Phoebe gaped. "I know that, but-"

"I promise you, it's all taken care of! Death records, memories, grave markers…they're all gone. I swear." As if viable proof, he used his finger to draw in invisible 'x' over his heart. "Cross my heart."

"But-"

"I have to go now. I have other destinies to help out with," Destine interjected. "I'll leave you ladies to yours." With that, the room unfroze and in the blink of an eye the Angel of Destiny was gone.

Prue let out a horrific scream, catching the attention of several nurses. She clutched her stomach.

"How far in between contractions?" One of the nurses asked, moving right past the small talk.

"Five minutes at the most," Paige blurted out without thinking.

The nurse looked rather confused as he stared between Paige and Prue. "Uh-"

"Did you not hear her correctly?" Prue sneered.

"Five minutes," he jotted down on his clipboard. Leaning across the admission table, he muttered something to one of the women and then grabbed a sheet of paper from the desk. "I'm taking you down to delivery room three-ten." He glanced over his shoulder. "Only one person in the delivery room at a time. Who will it be?"

Phoebe glanced at Piper and Paige. She still had the cell phone in her hand, ready to call her unborn niece's father. "It's gotta be one of you two."

Piper and Paige stared for a beat. Simultaneously they exclaimed, "You go! No, you, really."

"Guys," Prue howled from the wheelchair. Her face was bright red as she gripped the arms of the chair.

"Paige," Piper said firmly. "You go. You deserve this. You carried that baby nearly the entire pregnancy. Go keep the robes warm until Andy gets here." Playfully, she smacked her sister on the behind and pushed her towards Prue and the nurse. "I want all the details when you get back!"

Paige wiped away a small tear from the corner of her eye. "Thanks," she murmured. "C'mon Prue, lets get this day over with." She her sister's hand in her own.

"Thank you," Prue whispered. Immediately following came another contraction. She screamed in pain and squeezed Paige's hand, giving it a blue hue. As she screamed, a vase on the check in counter tumbled off and shattered to the floor.

"Oh, oh!" Paige waved her hand towards the delivery room doors. "Lets go! Hurry up!"

Phoebe watched as her sisters disappeared behind the doors with the male nurse. As the doors swung back, she heard Andy's voice on the other end of the line. "A-Andy? It's Phoebe." She gulped, looking to Piper. "The baby's on her way."

_**TO BE CONTINUED….**_


	28. The Prue Push Plan

A/N: I got six reviews last chapter (which I'm not complaining about), but not one of them was from Peanut. I'm surprised. But I do believe that you, being the ultimate Prue/Andy shipper that you are, will like this chapter. (I hope!) "The Ku Klux Klan," is a bad thing. The PPP is a GOOD thing. By the way, I've been thinking about tying the titles of this series together and to do that, I was considering doing this….

_Four's A Charm: Charmed At Last_

_Four's A Charm: Family Affair_

_Four's A Charm: Together Forever As One_

_Four's A Charm: The Blessed Ones_

_Four's A Charm: The Children Of Light_

_Four's A Charm: Every Halliwell Counts_

_Four's A Charm: Change Happens_

_**Change Happens**_

_**Chapter 28: The Prue Push Plan**_

----June 19, 2012----

Andy charged into the hospital. His hair was rumpled and his face was shadowed with fine, dark stubble. "Where is she? Where's Paige?"

Phoebe glanced at Piper, hiding the smile beneath behind her waves of shiny brown hair. "Only on person in the delivery room at a time," she explained. "We decided to just wait for you." She walked her brother-in-law passed the nurse's station.

"Don't we need to know which room she's in?"

Phoebe shook her head. "They told us as they were wheeling her in." She pointed down the hallway. "Three-ten." She squeezed his hand reassuringly. "Good luck, Andy."

"Thanks Phoebe!" Andy scooped the witch off the ground and hugged her. "I'll be out in a while."

Phoebe grinned as she exited the swinging double doors. "He's in for the shock of his life."

----

Prue grabbed the edges of bed railing, screaming at the top of her lungs. "Agh! Where the hell is he?"

"He'll be here soon," Paige promised. She moved Prue's wet hair from her face. "And boy will he be surprised."

Prue absently sunk her teeth into her lip, drawing red blood. "Shit!"

"I got it." Paige reached into her pocket, retrieving a tissue. She dabbed her big sister's bitten lip, wiping away the blood trail. She smiled warmly. "Thanks for coming back and handling the worst part."

Prue glared. "You're welcome," came her heavily sarcastic reply.

The door burst open. "Paige! Oh god, I'm so sorry I'm-" He froze at the sight of his pregnant wife in the bed. He blinked several times, wondering if it was a mirage. "P-Prue?"

"That just keeps happening to you today, doesn't it?"

"Excuse me sir, but you can't be in here. Only one family member in the delivery room-"

"I'm leaving," Paige announced. "I was just here for moral support until my brother-in-law could make it." She leaned into Prue, kissing her clammy head, and then made a beeline for the door. "C'mon Andy, lets go get you your scrubs." She grabbed his wrist, pulling the stunned man out the door.

"How the hell-"

"It's a long story," the Charmed whitewitch interjected. "You just do your fatherly duties right now. We'll explain after the baby's born, when Prue isn't in so much pain. And believe me, Andy, it's a damn lot of pain." She slipped off the green scrubs from her day clothing, and handed them to her brother-in-law.

Andy shook his head. His body was shaking as he slid the green scrubs over his jeans. "Paige. This is incredible. I mean, I just don't understand." His voice was low and crackly. "Is she here to stay? Does Pandora know yet?"

"Pandora's seen her, but they didn't have time to talk. And yes, she is here to stay." Paige leaned in her tip toes and kissed her mortal brother-in-law's cheeks. "You've been a world of support Andy. And all I ask in for return is that you don't ask questions until the baby's born. Okay?"

Andy dabbed the corner of his wet eyes. "I think I can do that."

"Thank you."

"No." Andrew grabbed her wrist, pulling her back to face him. "Thank you, Paige. You have no idea how much support you've been to me." Before she could respond, he pulled her into a bear hug. "You're more like her than you'll ever know."

Paige wriggled from his arms, and pointed to the door. "Come tell us everything as soon as you can, okay?"

Andy nodded. He pushed though the door, allowing it to swing closed behind him. Once inside the room, he looked around in awe. It was alive with the bustle of doctors and the beeping of machines, all which was nearly drowned out by Prue's incessant screams and groans of pain. He shuffled across the waxy white floor, stopping at the edge of his wife's bed. "Prue?"

"You're late," the witch replied stonily. "And you have no idea how much this sucks."

"But at least we're both here." Andy leaned in, kissing his wife's pale lips. "And this time we won't have any demonic interruption."

"Andy!" Prue glanced around, relieved to note that the doctors weren't paying attention to their conversation in the slightest. It still annoyed her that he'd even brought up Pandora's birth, though.

_**----Flashback----**_

_There was another swirl of aqua lights and then Piper, Phoebe, and Paige appeared in a small cave behind Talia._

There was an ear crushing scream from a newborn baby.

Talia proudly held up her prize; she wasn't aware that Piper, Phoebe, and Paige were there.

Suddenly there was a swirl of white lights, then Andy Trudeau appeared falling in mid air. He snatched the baby from Talia's arms and landed on the ground. "Hands off my daughter!" He warned. He stroked the screaming child's face and then the crying stopped.

"No!" Talia screamed. She created a fire ball and sent it flying at Andy.

"N..no!" Prue managed to yell. She squinted her eyes and sent the fire ball flying into Talia's chest, which sent Talia smashing into the opposite wall.

"Prue!" Piper, Phoebe, and Paige cried out in unison. They rushed to their sister's side.

Andy rushed over to Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige; while still holding his newborn daughter.

_**----Flashback----**_

"How much longer?" Andy asked, looking towards the head doctor.

The doctor frowned. "It looks like it'll still be a few ours before she can start pushing," he regretfully informed.

"A few hours!" Prue shouted. Her face had an almost purple hue from the labor pains. "Isn't there something you can do?"

The doctor frowned darkly. "Ms. Halliwell, the best thing you can do is to remain calm-"

"Calm?" Prue's blue eyes glazed with anger. "Does it look like I can remain calm right now?"

The doctor decided his efforts might be better with Andy, and turned towards the mortal. "Please, I'm sorry there's nothing we can do. When it's time for your wife to push, we'll let you know." He moved to the nurse, whispered something to her, and fled the pristinely white room.

"Oooh!" Prue hissed. A machine rolled across the room, smashing into the wall.

"Prue!"

"Not my fault," Prue growled lowly. "I can't control them when I'm like this."

Andy glanced down at his watch. _A few more hours, Andy. Just a few more hours._

----

"Wait!" Persia grabbed her half sister by the arm, yanking her back behind the dumpster in which they'd shimmered in behind. "Put on the sweat jacket."

Pamela crossed her arms, glaring at her big sister. "Why should I? You're not my mom. You can't tell me what to do."

"Pamela Turner," she growled. "I can always get your father."

Pam glared. "Fine." She snatched the jacket from her sister's outstretched hand, and slipped it on over her red overalls. Turning sharply, she rounded the corner of the building and stomped off towards the entrance.

"When I see mommy?"

Persia looked down at her cousin sympathetically. She scooped Pandora into her arms, wincing slightly at the weight of the child, and hobbled around the dumpster to the Bay General entrance. "Soon, baby."

"Why couldn't me sees her before?"

"Because it was too dangerous," Persia explained, stepping through the electronic doors and hurrying towards the waiting room. "You'll see her soon, okay? I promise." She set her cousin down and slid her fingers around the telepath's. "And your new baby sister, too." She glanced up at the illuminated directory, and led her cousin in the arrow directly them towards the waiting room.

"Will mommy leave soon?"

Persia chewed her lip, unsure how to answer the grief stricken child. "I don't know, Pandy. I honestly don't know."

"What if I be real good?"

"Oh honey!" Persia dropped to her knees. She grabbed her cousin by the waist, pulled her to her chest, and hugged her. "You don't think your mom left because of you, do you?"

Pandora sniffled. "I did the spell," she whimpered. Her nose was running now, and tears were spilling from her eyes like water overflowing a pot.

"No!" Persia pulled the child back and locked her eyes. "Don't you dare think that! It wasn't your fault at all! It was The Source's. The evil man's. You know, the one we vanquished in the attic today?"

Pandora nodded.

"It was his fault, not yours. Do you understand me?"

Through tears, Pandora nodded. "I miss mommy."

"I know, baby. I know." Persia ascended to her full height, and led Pandora into the waiting room. Her mouth dropped open when she saw Paige sitting with her mother and Aunt Piper, instead of Prue. "Whoa! What the heck is going on here? Where's Aunt Prue?"

"In the delivery room," Paige grinned.

"H-how?"

"Long story," Piper waved away. "After the baby's born, and everyone's together, we figure we'll explain it then so that we don't have to tell it a million and one times."

"It gets old." Phoebe leaned over Piper, grinning at Pandora. "Hey, buttercup! What's up? Ya wanna come see Auntie Phoebe?"

Pandora nodded. She reached up, grabbing her aunt's hands and climbing into her lap.

That was when Phoebe noticed her wet eyes. "Pandora." She dabbed the Kindergartener's eyes with her shirt. "What's wrong?"

"Where is mommy?"

"Your mom and dad are in the delivery room," Piper chirped. "You'll see them soon." She made an invisible 'x' over her heart. "Cross my heart."

Pandora wiped her nose on her sleeve. "Okay."

"How did you get here?" Paige suddenly asked.

"Pam-" Persia stopped mid sentence. "Wait, you guys haven't seen Pamela?"

Phoebe shook her head.

"But she ran in here ahead of us!" Persia swung around. She cupped her hands over her mouth. "Pam! Pamela Turner!"

Paige hopped to her feet, moving up behind her niece. "Shh. Calm down. I'll help you look for her." She turned around to Phoebe. "Why don't you leave Pandora with Piper, and help us?"

"Is that okay baby girl?" Piper asked as she pulled Pandora into her lap. "Will you hang out with your old, boring Aunt Piper for a while?"

Pandora smiled weakly. "You not bowing," she defended.

Piper ruffled her niece's raven locks. "I'm glad someone thinks so." She kissed her head as she waved her sisters and niece away. "Hurry up!"

----

"Uncle Cole?" Phiona trotted into The Villa's kitchen. She placed her hands on her hips. "I hate this house," she sighed. "It's just too big." She cautiously placed a foot onto the shiny, white and blue tiled floor and began to tread across it. Looking around, she knew that her mother would have a hay day with a kitchen like The Villa's.

It had a center island, somewhat like at the Manor, with a blue marble countertop. But it also had a restaurant-style stove, cutlery section of the main countertop, and a double oven. All of which were stainless steal. The room was lined with top of the line knives, plastic cutting boards, and a hanging rack of every cooking utensil imaginable. The matching pan set actually sparkled when the sun beamed through the kitchen window each morning.

Phiona Wyatt moved soundlessly to the stainless steal refrigerator, and leaned on her tip toes to grab the high hand. She wrapped her fingers around it tightly, until they turned an almost white color, and swung the heavy door open with all her might. To her delight, she found the fridge freshly stocked with a plethora of fresh fruits, vegetables, deserts, and half of a leftover roast that her mother had prepared the previous week when the entire family had joined at Phoebe's house for dinner. It had been in honor of Glenn's miraculous recovery from the brink of death.

The Blessed One brushed her chin with her thumb and index finger. She was trying to decide between the her mother's famous peach cobbler, or the cheesecake with a homemade strawberry topping. She squinted, finally giving into the cheesecake. "Okay, come here, you piece of deliouseness, you." She stretched as far as she could, but to her disappointment, she was just a few inches too short. The witch glanced over her shoulder, making sure nobody was around.

Phiona arched out her arm. A cloud of orbs burst from her fingertips, shooting up at the plate of plastic wrap covered cheesecake, and telekinetically lifting it into the air. Steadily, the orbs began to descend, bringing the plate with it. Then she froze. It had been quiet, almost silent, but she'd heard it just the same. A miniscule tap of someone's shoe on the cold tile.

The Blessed One spun around, the cheesecake still hanging within the orb cloud above her head. She didn't see a thing. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Nothing seemed displaced. "Uncle Cole?" Nothing. "Prissy?" She stepped forward, cautiously. A lump was forming in her throat. She tried to swallow it, only to have it grow larger. "Who's there?"

Phiona dared to step closer. She was halfway between the refrigerator and the island, now. Then she felt her body being lifted from the ground by an unseen force. Red indentations bore into the flesh around her neck as an invisible hand began to strangle the little girl. The orbs vanished from the plate, sending it shattering to the tiled floor. She tried to scream, but not a sound filtered from her mouth. _Help! Somebody, help me! Anybody!_

Phiona kicked wildly at the open air, but she had no success in connecting with anything solid. The more she kicked, the more her lungs screamed for air. She could feel her heart rate slowing, and her eyes began to pop as she realized that in moments she would be dead. She wiggled her fingers frantically, attempting to wield her power advancement in the direction of one of the chef's knives. Unfortunately, she still didn't have control over it. Nothing.

"Phiona?"

_Uncle Cole! Uncle Cole, help me!_ She tried to scream, to call out to him, but she couldn't. With all her strength, she twisted her small hand in the direction of the hanging pots and pans, emitting a stream of glowing orbs. They smacked into the shiny objects, sending them shattering to the tile floor with an echoing effect.

"Phiona!" Cole instantly appeared at the edge of the kitchen. His face was illuminated partly by the glow of the refrigerator, and partly by the neon energy ball that was hovering just above his hand. His eyes twinkled with hatred as he flung the deadly weapon in the direction of the empty air, before his niece. It passed right through, destroying three shelves in the refrigerator. Again, he summoned another energy ball, this time hurling it behind his hovering niece. Bingo! This time he'd hit something.

With a gasp, Phiona toppled to the ground. Her hands flew to her bruised neck, touching it gingerly. Her face had a purpled hue, from going so long without oxygen. Her small chest heaved up and down. She hadn't the strength to crawl away.

Cole lunged into the kitchen, pounding his fist into the place where his energy ball had stuck something invisible. His hand passed through, and he tumbled onto the counter. "Where are you?" He growled. His icy blue eyes swept the kitchen, looking for any clue as to where his niece's attacker might be.

Phiona doubled over. She clamped her eyes shut, and remained breathing hard.

Hearing his niece's strained breaths, Cole abandon his search, and dropped to the tile floor. "Are you okay, Phi?"

Weakly, Phiona Wyatt nodded.

"C'mere," the half demon whispered softly. He pulled his niece into his arms and gently brushed her hair. "We're going to go get your cousins and Glenn." He secured his arms around Phiona and shimmered.

----

Prue's hand swiped through Andy's.

"Prue!" Andy watched as her phased hand returned to its solid state, and he grabbed it within his own. "You have to try and control this!"

"I can't!" Tears were sprouting in her blue eyes.

Lowering his voice, the Inspector whispered, "What if your entire body does it? What if one of them sees you? Prue, you have to try!"

Prue clutched her husband's hand. "It hurts so much," she sobbed.

"The heart monitor!"

One of the nurses lurched forward, grabbing the monitor as the plug jerked from the wall and it began to slide away from Prue's bed. "What the hell is going on?" She shook her head, returning the machine to its place. "Doctor, I think we might have electrical problems. We may have to move her. We can't afford to take the risk of delivering a child into a room where the machines keep bursting from their wall sockets."

The head doctor touched his chin, nodding softly. "Okay." He directed his nurse to the door. "Go to the front desk, and see if we can get another room. Hurry!"

The nurse turned swiftly, grabbing the door and hightailing it out of the room. It almost seemed as though she was more afraid for herself, rather than for Prue and the baby.

Andy narrowed his eyes. "Prue…"

Prue gulped. _I have to stop my powers from going out of control! If we move to a new room and this happens, they'll start to suspect something._

----

Pamela Turner leaned quietly in the doorway of a hospital room. After she'd wandered in through the front doors, she hadn't the faintest idea which way to go. Of course waiting for her half sister would've been a knock at her pride, so she randomly chose a direction and went with it. Now she found herself in a quite desolate hallway, where only a few nurses came through every now and then.

"W-who's th-ere?" The voice seemed almost ancient. Rough, like sandpaper. But hidden under the years, there was a kindness.

"Hi," Pam replied softly. She tip toed into the room, careful not to make any loud noises.

An old woman roused herself from her hospital bed. She had shoulder length, snow white hair that looked as frail as tissue paper. Her face was severely wrinkled, and her golden-gray eyes only partially peeked out from beneath her squinted eyelids. She was wearing a long, white cotton night gown with a lace trimmed collar. She looked slightly like the woman who played the older version of Rose Dawson in the hit movie, 'Titanic'.

The old woman reached blindly at the nightstand beside her bed, grabbing for a pair of tiny, cat eye spectacles. She missed nearly four times, before finally landing her wrinkled, bent fingers around the frames. She pulled them up, rubbed the top of the lenses over her nightgown, and adjusted them on the bridge of her nose. "Who do we h-have he-re?" Her voice cracked as she spoke.

Pam hesitated a moment, and then moved to the bedside. "Pam." She was completely monosyllabic.

"Pam?" The wrinkled woman chuckled. "I used to kn-know a litt-le girl named Pam." She pursed her pale, chapped lips. "I'm Val." She held out her ancient looking hand.

Pam chewed at her lower lip, before laying her baby soft fingers into the old woman's. "Nice to meet you."

The old woman grinned. "How did you get here, dear?"

Pamela smiled. Her shoulders slumped in relaxation. The woman slightly reminded her of her own great grandmother. She guessed it was the way she added the word 'dear' to the end of her sentence. "I dunno," she replied.

"Not many people come to visit me." The old woman seemed brighter now, not stuttering so much anymore. "Too old, I suppose." She feebly crawled from the covers, and leaned against her two pillows.

"I'm sorry." Pam frowned. She really didn't know what to say. She was beginning to feel sorry for the old woman. Even, partly, herself. _Maybe I shouldn't have come?_

As if reading her thoughts, the woman said, "I'm glad you came." She raked a shaky hand through her white hair. "How old are you, dear?"

"Seven and a half," the witch-demoness replied.

"Oh wow!" The old woman smiled enthusiastically. "Seven and a half," she repeated. "That's a big age!"

Pam nodded proudly. "I'll be eight on August third," she announced.

"My husband's birthday used to be in August too," the old woman replied wistfully.

"Used to be?"

"He passed away." Val's head dropped to her chest. "A long, long time ago."

Pamela turned her head away. "I'm sorry," she whispered again. She'd just gotten over her aunt's death, and now suddenly, her aunt was back. She didn't know what to think. She was half afraid that They would take her away again.

"Something wrong, child?"

Pam laced her fingers together. "No."

"You look sad."

"I'm not," the partial witch lied.

"Are you sure?"

Pam nodded.

"Why don't you pull up a chair?" Val motioned to one of the chair in the corner of the room. "Can you stay a while?"

Pam glanced at the doorway. Nobody was there, and she doubted anyone would be looking for her. She shrugged. _Why not?_ The Blessed One sauntered across the room, grabbed a chair, and dragged it noisily across the floor to the old woman's bedside. As she sat down she asked, "Why are you here?"

Val didn't even look up. "To die."

----

"What are we even looking for?" Glenn stood before the podium that the Book of Shadows rested on, and flipped madly through its pages.

"Beings with the power of invisibility, ghosts, phantoms…"

"Well that narrows it down," Glenn growled sarcastically.

"It does, actually. Invisibility is a rarer power, and highly coveted," Cole sneered. He was kneeling at Pearl's couch, and dabbing a cool cloth on Phiona's neck. "He also has hands," he noted. The marks on his niece's neck her clearly physical handprints.

"Uncle Glenn?"

"Yes sweetie?" Glenn's attention was instantly on Piper's eldest daughter. "Do you need something? What do you want?"

Phiona smiled slightly. Glenn was the youngest of her uncles, and she often found him to be highly comforting, because he could relate to more than her other uncles could. "Can you get me the scrying crystal?"

"The scrying crystal?" Glenn scratched his head. "Uhm…"

"It's near the typewriter, over there." Phiona's eyes flicked in the direction of the Book of Shadows, and then swept across the room to a typewriter that rested on a wooden table.

Glenn shuffled across the room, grabbed a map of San Francisco and an amethyst scrying crystal, and shuffled back over to his niece. "What do you need it for?"

Cole placed his hand to his forehead. "A scrying crystal?" He repeated. "It's name says it all!"

Glenn shook his head, still not gathering whatever Cole was getting at.

"Nevermind," the half demon frowned.

"Uncle Cole?"

"Hmm?"

"Can you go get me a q-tip?"

"What for, honey?"

"You'll see."

Cole kissed his niece's head. "I'll be right back. You hang tight, kiddo." He heaved up from his kneeling position, and left the room.

"So what are you doing, exactly?" Glenn squatted next to the couch, staring intently at the map. He knew his wife and sisters-in-law often used it to find demons, but he didn't know its inner workings.

"I'm going to scry for my demon," she replied vaguely. "Which means as long as I have something of his, and he's somewhere above ground in San Francisco, I can track him." She held up the amethyst crystal. "The crystal projects my inner magic through it, and hunts for whatever I'm looking for."

"Oh." Glenn rubbed his nose. "So it's kind of like a magical GPS?"

"Exactly!"

Glenn grinned, ruffling Phiona's hair. "Thanks."

Phiona beamed. "No problem."

"Phi?"

The Blessed One turned halfway around, careful not to crane her neck. "Thanks," she said as Cole moved to her and handed her the q-tip. She rubbed it against the bruises on her neck.

"What're you trying to do?"

"Epitheliums," Phiona explained. "Like on 'CSI,' you know? The DNA tissue." She pinched the q-tip and the chain of her crystal together, and held it above the map which now rested on her lap. "I know he grabbed me with his bare hands. I felt them. They were so cold. Almost clammy." She straightened a little, and gave the crystal a little swing. It didn't move for several seconds, and then as it slowed, it began to pick up a rhythm all its own. The witch-whitelighter hummed in satisfaction.

"Brilliant!" Cole's eyes shined. "I never would've thought to do that!"

"Now lets just hope this bastard is someone on this map," Glenn said as he watched his niece intently.

----

"Pamela Victoria Turner!" Phoebe's hands were cupped around her mouth as she bellowed down a brightly lit, but very desolate hospital corridor. She sighed, bringing her hands to her hips. "Where the hell is she?"

"Maybe you should try to get a premonition?" Paige suggested.

Phoebe chewed her lip. She placed her hand to the wall and began to drag it across. "This is useless," she growled. "We're not going to find my daughter like this!"

"Calm down-"

"Calm down? Calm down? Paige! My daughter is missing! How can I calm down? We're not just talking about any normal child, Paige. We're talking about Pamela! She's one of the most coveted magical beings around!" The psychic buried her head into her hands. "I can't believe this," she whispered. It was then that she felt her back pocket vibrate. Hurriedly, she snatched her cellular phone from her jeans and held it up to her ear. "Hello? Piper?" Her face fell. "Persia."

Paige blinked curiously, awaiting explanation.

"No, we haven't had any luck either." Phoebe chewed her lip. "She hasn't passed by Piper?" Her hand was curling to a fist. "Paige just suggested that, but I didn't get one." She shook her head in frustration. "No, but-"

"Phone." In an envelopment of orbs, the cellular device transported into Paige's awaiting palm. "Persia? Hi, it's Aunt Paige. Look, where are you?" She listened intently, as she backed away from Phoebe's reddening glare. "Why don't you meet us by the cafeteria?" She raked her pale fingers through her hair. "No. I've got an idea." Her lips moved silently for several seconds, and then she nodded to herself. "We'll see you there. Bye." She flipped the phone closed and held it back to her big sister. "C'mon. I've got a plan."

"It sure as hell better be good," Phoebe replied acidly. She grabbed the phone from Paige's hand and stuffed it back into her pocket, before treading after her sister.

----

"Where are we?" Pearlinda Belland glanced around the abandon warehouse she was in. Skepticism was chiseled into her soft features. "I don't like the feeling."

"This is where I tracked my demon friend too," Phiona answered. The latter part of her sentence dripped with sarcasm.

"Wow," Pearl replied, equally sarcastic. "And we came here completely unprepared. How very smart of us."

"We brought you, didn't we?"

"I know that!" Pearl snapped. "But you said yourself that he's invisible." She glanced around again, not catching sight of anything moving. "How're we gonna find him?"

Phiona scratched her head, looking at Cole. "Uhm-"

"Okay, maybe we didn't think that far ahead." Cole frowned, holding out his hand. "Do you want to go back and get a spell from the Book of Shad-" His words were cut off abruptly, as he went hurtling across the empty warehouse.

"Uncle Cole!" Phiona shouted. Her hands swung outwards, and a net of orbs appeared swinging through the air.

Just as swift, Pearl curled her fingers and summoned an explosive light sphere, to which she held close to her as her eyes swept the room cautiously. Her eyes traveled to the floor, where the faintest outline of dirt appeared behind her cousin. "Phiona!" She swung the light ball. It hit something, for a spray of charcoal black blood spurted across her and Phiona. Luckily, it also dotted a partial outline of their invisible being. The contanst spray of black blood, from what appeared to be a limp, also helped to clue them in.

Phiona reeled back, shooting a burst of orbs at her enemy, sending him or her sailing across the cement floor.

Pearl clasped her hand against her cousin's, pulling her close. "Innate power we do invoke, a witch's scorn you have awoke!" She looked to Phiona, imploring her to create an impromptu finish to her spell.

Phiona shook her head, watching as black smoke poured from the partially invisible chest of her attacker. "B-blessed powers to o-o-obliterate, the injustice you've reiterate!"

"Agh!" The voice was brusque. The demon's body flashed a deep shade of burnt orange, before revealing a burly looking demon with rubbery, mutated lime green skin and spiraling red and white eyes. His right arm was still gushing black, bloody spurts as he howled in agony of the cousins' spell.

Then in an atomic-like blast, he exploded. The force echoed through the empty warehouse, literally sending Phiona and Pearl in opposite directions, landing them each on their asses. When the smoke of his vanquish cleared, a fine spray of black goo and green slivers of wrinkled skin were splayed on every surface of the warehouse.

"Gross," Phiona groaned. She struggled to her feet and disgustedly pulled a sticky piece of lime green flesh from her arm.

"Nice impromptu," Pearl complimented. She raked her fingers through her hair, wiping away blobs of black and peels of green.

Phiona crossed her arms. "I just want to get home," she frowned. She held out her hand. "If I don't take a shower soon, I swear I'll vanquish myself."

Cole, who had been sprayed like everything else, glanced over his shoulder at Pearl. "I suppose you're taking the other one?"

"Well we were the ones who did the vanquish," Pearl countered. She folded her arms defensively. "I think we deserve it."

Cole moaned as he placed a hand on each of his nieces' shoulders, and shimmered back to the Manor.

----

"What's the bright idea?" Phoebe Halliwell crossed her arms tightly.

"Hold out your hand," Paige instructed her eldest niece.

"What?"

"Hold out your hand," Paige replied. She demonstrated. "Like so."

Persia shifted uncomfortably. "Why?"

"Just do it!" Paige flicked her wrist in Phoebe's direction. "Can't you see how upset your mother is?"

Not wanting to argue, Perisa complied with her youngest aunt's strange request. "Now what?"

"Take her hand."

"Paige?"

"Phoebe." Paige crossed her arms.

Phoebe slid her hand into Persia's. Nothing. "What is the big-" She gasped.

_**----Premonition----**_

_Pam burst through the electronic doors. She stopped in the entrance, staring blankly up at the illuminated hospital directory. She squinted her eyes at the words she couldn't read, and the arrows pointing to which way the said area would be. Finally, she tossed her hands into the air and headed down the hallway marked, 'East Wing: Rooms 100-300'._

_As she turned the corner, she passed an elderly man in a wheelchair, with a nurse pushing him from behind. She cringed at the oxygen mask strapped to his Jaundice face, just below his dull brown eyes. She slipped further down the hall, and leapt into a jog. Her brown hair bobbed around her head as she ran. Within moments, she came to a stop as she neared an open door._

_Curiously, she leaned quietly on the door frame._

"_W-who's th-ere?" The voice seemed almost ancient. Rough, like sandpaper. But hidden under the years, there was a kindness._

"_Hi," Pam replied softly. She tip toed into the room, careful not to make any loud noises._

_An old woman roused herself from her hospital bed. She had shoulder length, snow white hair that looked as frail as tissue paper. Her face was severely wrinkled, and her golden-gray eyes only partially peeked out from beneath her squinted eyelids. She was wearing a long, white cotton night gown with a lace trimmed collar. She looked slightly like the woman who played the older version of Rose Dawson in the hit movie, 'Titanic'._

_The old woman reached blindly at the nightstand beside her bed, grabbing for a pair of tiny, cat eye spectacles. She missed nearly four times, before finally landing her wrinkled, bent fingers around the frames. She pulled them up, rubbed the top of the lenses over her nightgown, and adjusted them on the bridge of her nose. "Who do we h-have he-re?" Her voice cracked as she spoke._

_Pam hesitated a moment, and then moved to the bedside. As she passed the opened door, the front read, 'Room 256'._

_**----Premonition----**_

"Mom?" Persia wrenched her hand away. She waved her hand in front of her mother's face. "Mom!"

Phoebe blinked several times.

"Did you see what you needed?" Paige inquired.

"Room two-fifty-six," Phoebe replied robotically.

"Lets go!" The whitelighter turned on her heel, speeding from the cafeteria with her sister and niece at her heels.

----

"Those are very unique earrings," Val suddenly announced. Her eyes twinkled as she moved her old, shaky hand to the side of Pamela's face.

Pam instantly pulled away, suddenly unsure of the old woman's intentions.

Val stopped, shaking her head. Her face flushed. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have…"

"Why do you like them?" Pamela asked quietly. She was still keeping her distance.

"Do you know what they are?" Val asked, her eyes twinkling again.

Pamela chewed her lip, wondering if she should play dumb or tell the old woman the truth. Finally, she shook her head. "Do you?"

"Yes."

"Tell me."

Val pursed her lips. Her gold-gray eyes were still locked on the earrings. "That symbol is called a Triquetra," she explained. "It's an ancient symbol for the Triple Goddess: the Maiden, the Mother, and the Crone. It symbolizes the transition from youth, to an adult, and finally an elder." She squinted at the small, gold Triquetras on each of the Blessed One's ears. "Where did you get them?"

"My mom and aunts gave them to me."

"Your mother," she paused, "and aunts?"

Pam nodded.

Val held out her hand. "Come here, child." She smiled softly. "It's okay. Please."

Pam tapped her foot anxiously, wondering if she should just leave now. Her instincts were telling her Val was okay, though. She frowned, but stepped towards the old woman anyway.

"Take my hand."

"Why?"

"I want to see something."

"What?"

Val's dull eyes were pleading. "It would make an old, dying woman very happy."

Finally, the witch-demoness stuck out her hand and laid it into Val's. She cringed a little. The old woman's hand felt like the top of a pumpkin pie, under plastic wrap.

Val's eyes suddenly glazed over in a gray hue, shining like two silver dollars. Her body went rigid, but a wide smile still played brightly on her lips.

_**----Premonition----**_

_Charcoal black ruffles of hair, highlighted with soft deep brown streaks, hung down a young woman's bare, bronzed back. Her eyes were an ice blue, with an unmistakable glimmer. Her lips were darkly rouged, and her eyes trimmed lightly in deep black liner. Her eyes were thick with mascara, although it was clear that they were already long and thick, thus not needing the extra weight. She wore a simple, pale yellow cotton nightgown and was propped up against the headboard of a bed._

_In the young woman's arms, for she was no more than twenty-five years of age, was a small infant in a pink fleece blanket. In the corner of the blanket was stitched a small 'P,' in dark bubblegum pink thread. The young woman rocked the infant child, softly humming an inaudible tune._

"_Pam?"_

_The young woman, Pamela Turner, glanced up. Her lips parted as she smiled warmly at the man leaning in her doorway. "Come see your daughter," she smiled._

"_I'm sorry," he apologized mournfully. The man approached Pamela and stood next to her bed, leaning over his child and her mother. "She's beautiful," he breathed. His eyes were misty. Sweeping his eyes across the bed, he noticed a yellowed paper rolled out on the empty half of the bed. "You've been looking up names?"_

"_I think I've found one I like," Pamela announced. She held their daughter towards the man._

_Eagerly, he scooped the newborn into his arms and cradled her close to his strong chest._

_Pamela Turner snatched the paper from the empty bedside, and rolled it up, pointing towards the top. "Robert Parker," she announced with finality._

"_You want to name our daughter Robert?" The man's brows arched upwards in amusement._

_Pamela glared. "You know what I mean!"_

"_Roberta?" He chuckled, pointing towards the 'P' stitched into the blanket. "If you were going to name her that, you didn't have to spend the last two trimesters of you pregnancy learning how to sew, honey."_

"_Steven," the demoness-witch growled playfully. She hid 'Robert' under her left index finger, and pointed at 'Parker.'_

_Steven stared lovingly down at his daughter. "What do you think, sweetheart? Do you want to be a Parker?"_

_The pink face baby just blinked her glimmering, blue eyes in response._

"_Parker it is," Steven finally announced. He smiled warmly at Pamela. "Parker Beatrice Pritchett."_

_Pamela reached up, touching the side of her newborn daughter's face. "The most powerful child to exist to date," she breathed coolly. "The Thrice Blessed Child."_

_**----Premonition----**_

Val's hand ripped from Pamela's, as her serene smile was suddenly replace with a crooked, gasp of terror. She shrieked, just as Phoebe burst into the room.

"Pamela!" Phoebe's eyes toured the room, and then she grabbed her daughter from the bed and pulled her away. "What the hell is going on in here?"

Pam shook her head. She was shivering. She knew the signs of a premonition when she saw one. She'd grown up seeing her mother have them all the time. She just couldn't understand what had happened. _She was smiling at whatever she saw_, the Blessed child thought, _and then she acted horrified!_

"Pammy," Phoebe spoke softly, "what happened in here?"

"I d-dunno," Pam whimpered. Her eyes traveled back to the horrified woman in the bed.

The old woman was staring frightfully at Pam. Her old eyes were wide. "Protect her with your life," she choked, barely above a whisper.

Phoebe and Paige exchanged looks.

"Who?" Pamela Turner dared to ask.

"Your daughter." A shrill beeping filled the room at the heart monitor flat lined. The old woman's eyes were still frozen in terror.

"Oh! We are so getting out of here!" Paige grabbed her older sister's wrist and yanked her from the room.

"Paige-"

"The old woman was crazy," Paige shivered.

"But she said Pam was in danger!"

Persia grabbed her mother by the arm, bringing the witch to a halt. "If Pam's in danger, then we can protect her." She flicked her hand at the door of Val's hospital room, just as a horde of doctors and nurses rushed in. "But how much can an old woman know, anyway?"

"She was probably on hallucinogenic drugs," Paige added. "C'mon. We have to get back to Piper and let her know that everything's fine." The youngest Charmed One tore down the hallway, leaving her sister and nieces to stare at each other.

Finally, Persia waved them along. "Aunt Paige is right." After a beat, she lifted her hand from her mother's arm and ran along down the hallway.

"Pam?" Phoebe stared at her daughter in the silence of the hall. "What happened in there?"

Pam chewed her lower lip, and then shook her head. "N-nothing," she said in a low voice.

"Are you sure?"

Pam nodded. "We just talked."

Phoebe shifted her weight between both her feet, and then took her youngest daughter's hand again. "Okay," she said finally. "Lets go then." As they stared to walk she added, "And Pam? If you remember anything else, you know it's okay to tell me, right?"

Pam looked away from her mom and shook her head, signaling that she understood.

----

Prue's crystal blue eyes squeezed shut and all the world seemed to disappear not only in sight, but sound as well. She was blocking it all. The eldest Charmed One could feel small, bubbling tears slide down her cheeks and every once in a while, she could feel the warmth of Andy's fingers brush them away.

"Prue?"

The witch squeezed her husband's hand again, this time not due to unbearable pain, but simply because she was scared. Scared of everything that would happen once their child, their daughter, arrived. When Pandora had been born, she hadn't been nearly as scared as she was at this point in time.

Despite Talia, the demon who'd tried to steal her daughter. And despite the fact that she'd been all alone, giving birth in the Underworld. Deep in her heart, she knew that her sisters would come and save her. She knew that Talia needed Pandora, and thus wouldn't hurt her. But now, she didn't know what to think. She knew that there was a real possibility that her second daughter, the one that was never supposed to be her and Andy's in the first place, could be taken away.

"It's okay, Prue. I'm here for you." Andy pressed his soft lips to Prue's damp cheek. He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "And I love you. Nothing's going to get in the way of our family. I promise you that."

Prue's face reddened as another bout of pain sliced through her abdomen. "I…love you…too."

"Ms. Halliwell?" The doctor glanced up from the end of the bed. "We need you to give the final push."

Prue choked. "Andy…"

"Come on, Prue. We've been in spots tougher than this before." Andy brushed his fingers over her sticky, black hair. "One more push, and you'll have our little girl in your arms."

Prue's eyes lifted to the ceiling. _One more push._ Her lips curved as she opened her mouth and scrunched her wet, red eyelids over her eyes. Her scream rivaled a plane breaking the sound barrier. By prompt of the burning sensation in her throat, her lips slapped back together. It was then that she heard the rewarding cries of a newborn child. Her newborn child.

----

Pandora's frown reversed instantly. She nudged her Aunt Piper, waking the Charmed One from her partial slumber.

"Huh?" Piper looked around, confused. "What's going on? Where…" She glanced down at the small hand on her shoulder. Her brown eyes fluttered in remembrance. "Pandora?"

"You fell asleep, Piper." Paige smiled playfully at her older sister.

"Did Prue have the baby yet?"

Phoebe and Paige shook their heads.

Persia cupped her hand over her mouth, stifling a yawn. "I hope the labor doesn't go into tomorrow. I don't think I'll be able to stay away." She yawned again, before pulling her feet onto the edge of the chair, and wrapping her slender arms around her knees.

Phoebe grinned, flicking her wrist in the direction of the delivery wing. "I don't think so."

"Andy!" Piper squealed, jumping to her feet.

"Daddy!"

Piper set the small witch on the ground, watching in glee as she threw herself into her brother-in-law's arms. "So? What's the verdict?"

Andy spun his eldest daughter around and kissed her forehead repeatedly. "She's beautiful."

"What does she look like?" Paige inquired excitedly. She was moving towards the double doors as fast as her legs would carry her.

"Why don't you come see for yourself?" Andy peered over Phoebe's shoulder at his oldest niece, who was slowly peeling herself from the chair in which she'd just become comfortable in.

"Me first! Me first!" Phoebe practically bulldozed Andy and her sisters out of the way to get to the double doors, where she charged in ahead of them all.

"Where's Pam?" The mortal asked, noticing that she wasn't there as she had been several hours earlier.

"She got tired." Persia drowsily wandered up behind Paige. She blinked twice, watching her red faced mother come back through the swinging doors.

"I just realized," Phoebe blushed, "I don't know what room they moved her to."

Piper snickered. "What'd you do? Walk in on someone?"

"No!" Phoebe folded her arms like a pouting child. "I just may of accidentally walked in while they were trying to clean up the room."

Piper glanced at her brother-in-law. "What room?"

Andy spun on his heel, turning back through the double doors and beckoning his sisters-in-law and niece to follow him.

----

Phiona rolled over in bed, glancing at the doorway and then burying her face into her pillow. She moaned.

"Can't sleep?"

Popping her head back up, she could see the dark outline of her older cousin in the doorway. "No."

"Me neither." Pearlinda trotted across the room until she reached Phiona's bed. "Can I climb in?"

"Sure." Phiona sat up and scooted to the edge of the bed, until she was leaning against the wall.

Pearl climbed onto the rumpled, pink sheets and squirmed under the covers. "So, do you think Aunt Prue had the baby yet?"

Phiona shrugged her shoulders. "I was actually thinking about calling mom's cell phone."

Pearl snickered. "I was just thinking about calling mom." She glanced at the ceiling.

The younger witch ran a hand through her near blonde hair. "I'm never gonna get to sleep unless I know."

Pearl craned her neck to check the clock. "It's five minutes passed midnight." She laced her fingers together nervously. "Ya wanna?"

Phiona frowned. "Yeah."

The eldest Blessed One cupped her hands around her mouth. "Mom!"

Phiona sighed. "I'm going to be so tired in the morning!"

----

As Paige lifted her foot to step into Prue's room, the sound of her daughter's voice rang in her head. "Ah crap!"

"What?" Piper looked alarmed. "Is it Max again?"

Paige shook her head.

"Tyler?"

"Nope." Paige grabbed the doorframe, stealing a glance at Prue and the pink bundle in her arms. "Pearl."

"Go figure."

"Seriously. She has bad timing."

"She probably wants an update."

"Yeah." Paige slipped into the room and shut the door behind herself. "I'll be right back," she moaned. She winked at her older sister as she orbed out.

Phoebe bounded onto the bed, giggling like a school girl. "Lemme see!"

Prue pulled the child closer to her chest. "Piper! Did you let Phoebe have any sugar tonight?"

Piper shrugged. "It was only a Milky Way."

Prue rolled her eyes. "Wonderful."

Phoebe glared. "If you didn't have my wittle niecey wiecey in your arms, I'd so smack you!"

"I know," Prue intoned. "Which is why I'm not giving her up."

Piper slid between Andy and the bed. "Can I steal a peek?"

The raven haired witch slid the pink blanket down from around her newborn's face, revealing a pinkish-red, heart shaped face, big hazel eyes, and a head full of dark brown hair. "This is your Auntie Piper," she introduced softly.

"Hi baby," Piper grinned. She reached out her hand, stroking the baby's fine hair. "Oh my gosh, Prue! She's amazing!"

"What're you gonna name her?" Persia asked, gazing silently from the corner of the room.

Prue and Andy shared a look.

The room illuminated with a bright blue, as Paige appeared with Phiona and Pearl at her respective sides. "What did I miss?"

"Persia was just asking about her name," the clairvoyant Charmed One clued in. She looked excitedly. "So?"

"We haven't really had a lot of time to think about it," Andy admitted.

"But?" Paige wagged her finger. "I can feel a 'but' coming."

"And you'd be right." Andy scooped his daughter into his arms, kissing the child's small head. "I was thinking her middle name should be Paige."

"Paige?" Phoebe and Piper echoed in surprise.

Andy looked at his wife, smiling thoughtfully. "If not for Paige, you might not be here today. Our daughter might not even be here. I think it's the least we can do."

Prue beckoned her baby sister to her side. Weakly, she leaned up and tossed her arms around Paige's slender neck. "I can't thank you enough, Paigey. And if it's okay with you, that's what I want to do too."

Paige blinked back the tears in her eyes. "Prue, that would be amazing!"

Prue kissed her sister's white cheek. "I think I might have a name that would go nicely with Paige." She pulled her hands together and began to absently pick at her cuticles. "What about Phaelynn? I've always liked the name…I saw it in a baby book once."

"No!"

Prue's head turned sharply, staring at Pearl in surprise. "What?"

"No!"

"Pearl!" Paige folded her arms angrily. "Apologize to your aunt!"

"No." Prue touched Paige's arm. "Wait. I want to hear why."

Pearl looked down at the floor, slightly scuffing her socks across it. "There's no 'a' at the end."

Andy looked baffled. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"All of our names end with an 'a,' or haven't you noticed?"

Andy scratched his head.

Prue, on the other hand, voiced his thoughts. "I hadn't."

"Well they do! Persia, Pearlinda, Phiona, Pamela, Pandora, and Prissandra."

The Charmed Ones exchanged surprised looks. "Did you notice that?"

_Persia, Pearlinda, Pamela, Pandora, and Prissandra._ Andy's head bobbed from side to side. _How did I never notice that?_

"Oh my gosh!" Piper exclaimed. "I never realized that!"

"And I swear I never did that on purpose," Phoebe replied.

"I guess we can't really break tradition now." Prue motioned for her daughter, just as a nurse walked into the room.

"And how're we doing tonight?" The nurse flashed a pearly grin around the room. She pulled a blue pen from her clipboard. "Is everything to your standards, Ms. Halliwell?"

"Perfect."

"And have you decided on a name?"

Prue held out her hand and her husband took it. "I think so."

"And?" The nurse pinched the pen between her index and middle fingers, ready to copy down the name.

"P-h-a-e-l-i-n-n-a," Prue spelt with a slight alteration to her first choice. She squeezed her husband's hand. "Phaelinna."

"Paige Trudeau. P-a-i-g-e. T-r-u-d-e-a-u."

"Aww," the nurse cooed in a sickly sweet voice. "Phaelinna. I've never heard that before. It's so pretty!"

"Thank you," Andy and Prue said in time with each other.

As the nurse left the room, Pearl bounded to the side of the bed to look at her new cousin. "Phi, come here!"

Phiona chuckled as she scooted in between her Aunt Phoebe and her cousin. "Hey little cousin," she crooned. "I'm your big cousin Phiona."

Pearl stuck her head next to Phiona's, giving the illusion that their heads were stuck together. She beamed with pride. "Welcome to the world, little cousin Phae!"

_**TO BE CONTINUED….**_


	29. Turning Wilder Into Wine

A/N: I've been waiting to write this subplot. It's what Missy Paige deserves...Finally. "Turning water into wine," is today's spoof. You'll get it later on, I promise.

_**Change Happens**_

**_Chapter 29: Turning Wilder Into Wine_**

----July 28, 2012----

"Streamer!" Paige stood on a chair in the living room, holding out her hand. In a swathe of blue and white orbs, a pastel pink streamer appeared in her hand. She smiled pleasantly as she turned on the chair and proceeded to tie up the streamer.

Glenn scratched his head as he stapled the ends of a bouquet of balloons to the wall. "Isn't that personal gain?"

"Not when it's for my niece's birthday party," Paige replied without looking back. She hopped off the chair and placed her hands to her hips, smiling at the pink and lavender streamers that hung in waves from the ceiling. She'd been up since five in the morning to put them up. It was now almost noon. She turned to her husband, snickering as he yelped. "You should've been paying attention," she chided.

Glenn groaned as he began to suck on his bloody finger, which had taken a staple.

"Lets go get that cleaned up."

"Why can't Leo heal it?"

"Personal gain."

"But-"

"You did it to yourself," Paige snickered. She patted her husband's back lightly. "You're a big guy, you can handle a little peroxide."

"I hate you."

"You love me." Paige puckered her lips. "Especially when I do that thing you like. You know, the one with the whip cream and the-"

"Paige!"

Paige whirled around to see her sister, Piper, standing in the doorway with grocery bags on each arm, Prissandra on her hip, and Phiona at her side.

Paige's face began to illuminate a beat red. "Bloody finger! We gotta go!" She grabbed her husband's wrist and orbed out before Piper could protest.

Phiona watched as her aunt's last orb vanished, and then cocked her head. "Mom, what can you do with whip cream besides eat it?"

"Oh!" Piper cried, moving to the island with lightning pace. "Paige," she screamed, "I'm gonna kill you!"

----

"Uncle Darryl!" Pandora shrieked. She tore across the precinct, running straight into Darryl Moriss' arms.

"Hey kiddo," Darryl grinned. He swung the child around, before setting her down front and center on his desk. "I hear today's your birthday!"

Pandora face was practically glowing with pride. "Is it! Guess how old I am?"

"Hmm…" Darryl's brow twitched. "Can I count it on two hands?"

Pandora nodded her head vigorously.

The African American man flicked his fingers all. "Ten?"

Pandora giggled hysterically as she shook her head. "No!"

"Eight?"

"Nope."

"Seven?"

Pandora shook her head.

"Well I think you've got me fooled," Darryl frowned playfully. "Why don't you tell me?"

"Six!" Pandora stuck out her left hand, spreading all four fingers and her thumb apart. On her right hand, she extended her thumb.

"Wow!" Darryl enthused. "That's pretty big. Do you feel six yet?"

The little witch nodded proudly. "Are you coming to my birfday party?"

The Inspector frowned mournfully. "I'm sorry, sweetie. But Uncle Darryl has to work today. But guess what."

"What?"

"I did get you a present!" Darryl yanked on one of the golden handles on his desk, pulling out the bottom drawer. In it laid a large package wrapped in blue paper with small, pink birthday cakes on it, topped with a shiny golden bow. "I hope you like it."

Pandora screamed in delight. "Thank you, Uncle Darryl!" She stretched out her arms as far as they would go, and wrapped them around Darryl's waist.

Darryl Morris grinned as he hugged his partner's daughter in return.

"Well what do we have here?" Andy folded his arms in amusement.

"Look, daddy!" Pandora pointed to the open drawer. "I got a present!" Her blue eyes twinkled. "Can I open it?"

"Now?" Andy looked skeptical.

Pandora stuck out a lip. "He can't come to my birfday party."

"Well…" Andy shifted his weight to his left foot. "I suppose. But don't tell your mother."

"It'll be our little secret," Darryl promised. He grabbed the present and set it on the desk next to Pandora. After which, he flopped down into his chair and folded his arms.

Eagerly, Pandora yanked off the golden bow and tore off the birthday cake wrapping paper, revealing a bubblegum pink, Easy Bake Oven. "Daddy! Daddy, look! An Easy Bake!" She slapped the box wildly. "It's just like the one Marcy Louis has!"

Darryl winked at his partner. "Yeah, but I bet she didn't come with a blender." He pointed to the front of the box, where a bright pink star read, 'Limited time offer: FREE blender!'

"Ahh!" Pandora hugged the box. "Marcy is gonna be so mad!" Her blue eyes shimmered with delight.

"So are you going to make me something with it?" Darryl asked.

Pandora nodded enthusiastically. "I'm a gonna make you a chocolate cake," she announced proudly.

"Sweetheart," Andy gently intervened. "We should really leave Uncle Darryl to get back to his work, and we need to go pick mommy up from the store, okay?"

Pandora hugged Darryl's waist again. "Thank you!"

"Aww, you're welcome kiddo." Darryl patted the child's back, before setting her back on the floor. "Here, Andy." He handed over the Easy Bake Oven to his friend.

"Thanks," Andy answered sarcastically.

"Oh! Wait!"

"What?"

Pandora beckoned for Darryl to bend down to her eyelevel.

Darryl grunted as he squatted down before his best friend's daughter. "What can I do for you?"

"I wanted to give this to you." Pandora pulled a bright yellow, coned shaped hat with muti-colored party balloons from her head. "Here!"

Darryl held out his hand, stopping her from strapping the hat to his head. "But, uh, you're the birthday girl. You should wear it."

The telepath shook her head. "No no. I have a crown to wear. I boughted this one for you." She proceeded to yank down the elastic strap and secure it under Darryl's chin, strapping the cone shaped hat to his head. She beamed with delight. "I think you look pwetty, right daddy?"

Andy was struggling to hold the Easy Bake Oven and conceal his laughter. "Oh…yeah, definitely! Absolutely gorgeous, right honey?"

"Mhmm." Pandora was oblivious to the snickers which were now flooding the precinct as people began to notice Darryl. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a Barbie compact, which Prue had given her for her birthday. "Look, you can see how pwetty you are too."

Darryl took the mirror and plastered a false smile to his face as he looked at his ridiculous reflection. "Thanks," he groaned as he lightly touched the hat with his fingertips. He handed the compact back to Pandora.

"Okays, we gots to go!" She grabbed her father's hand and pulled him towards the door. "Bye Uncle Darryl!"

"Bye," Darryl droned. As they left, he slumped back into his chair in time with hysterical laughter throughout the precinct.

----

"Does the party really need pony rides?" Cole asked incredulously. He appeared to be brooding, as he stood in line with his wife.

"It's what Pandora wanted." Phoebe stifled a yawn as she peered out from her place in line, spying at least ten people in front of her. "And apparently a lot of other kids too," she sighed.

"I really think we'll be fine with what we have," Cole droned on. "We've already got the bounce house and the clown."

"Played by Leo!" Phoebe countered. "And let me just say that Leo is far better off as a guide. He'd never make it in the clown business." She folded her arms, looking quite formidable. "We have to get these ponies."

Cole moaned as he glanced down at his watch. "Phoebe-"

"Cole Turner," the psychic warned. "Remember that thing we were planning to do tonight?"

Cole's eyes widened. "You wouldn't!"

"I would!"

"Oh, Phoebe! Come on!"

"Cole."

The half demon glowered. "Fine," he growled. He turned away from his wife, staring angrily at the black and white clock on the wall.

----

Leo waddled around his and Piper's bed, nearly stumbling over his own two and a half feet long, red rubber shoes. His face was painted all in white paint, and two large stop sign red circles had been smeared smack dab in the center of his cheeks. He wore a rubber red nose, and baggy hot pink pants with red poka dots, that were so big they had to held up with red suspenders. His shirt was lemon yellow and lime green striped. He even had large white gloves covering his hands.

Leo crossed over to Piper's dresser, grabbing a crazy blue wig with tight curls. He yanked the wig over his head and stared dismally into the mirror. "If there was one thing in this world that I'm sure of, it's this: whitelighters are not supposed to be clowns." He waddled over to the bassinet in the center of the room, and peered over the edge. "So this is what I've gone through for your sister's happiness." His brows shot up. "What do you think?"

The five weeks, one day old infant stared wide eyed for a minute. Then her face suddenly scrunched into a bout of tight wrinkles and turned bright red, before she began to wail in fight.

Leo, taken completely by surprised, stumbled backwards and landed roughly on his bum. He cursed under his breath before yelling at the top of his lungs, "Piper!"

----

Prue rounded the corner, coming down the isle stocked with a mind boggling amount of diapers. "It's been forever since I was here," she sighed.

Persia crossed her arms, amused. "When were you here last?"

Prue grinned, glancing up at the top shelf. "It was quite a few years ago. Thirteen or fourteen, I guess."

"Wow."

"I know! I didn't know squat about babies, but we had this little boy we were taking care of. An innocent, actually. His name was Matthew. This unsettling ghost was trying to kill all the males in his family, because his grandmother killed him due to his obsession with her." She shrugged. "Anyway, the first time I was here…" She glanced around quickly and then squinted her eyes at the top shelf, telekinetically pushing a package of infant diapers over the edge. "I had to get some of these things," she held up the package, "and I got some that were like…three sizes too big."

Persia laughed.

"And I spent waaaay too much money doing it." Prue turned to her basket and dropped the package inside.

"Did you ever think you'd have kids of your own?"

Prue shrugged. "After we saved Max, I knew I eventually wanted kids. I also knew I wanted them with Andy. He died not too long after that, and by the time we helped Matthew, I didn't think I'd ever find someone I wanted to have children with."

"Didn't you date after him?"

"Oh sure!" Prue pushed the basket down the isle. "I was dating this guy named Jack when I we helped Matthew. But he was more of a guy who I dated to pass the time, and we both knew it. He knew I eventually wanted a family, and I knew he just wanted to party and date."

"What do you think you would've done if Uncle Andy hadn't of come back?"

Prue shrugged, turning down an isle stocked with baby and parenting books. "I have no idea." She pursed her lips. "And every morning that I get up and find him sleeping next to me, I thank whatever power is out there that I don't have to think about that." She edge up to the counter, surprised to find no line.

"I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay. It's an honest question, and I don't mind answering." Prue smiled as she pulled a pink blanket out of the basket, followed by the package of diapers, and pacifier.

"Will that be all for you today?"

Prue nodded as she reached into her purse and pulled out her credit card.

----

"Oh my gosh!" Pearl loomed near the entrance to the kitchen, hugging her stomach. "That smells so good!"

Piper grinned pleasantly, as she spread another spatula of pink icing over her niece's two layer cake.

"And it looks so professional."

"Thanks." Piper smoothed out the icing. "You know, before I got P3, I always dreamed of becoming a chef."

Pearl laughed as she moved towards her aunt, admiring the perfection of the birthday cake. "Like mother like daughter."

"What're you talking about?"

"Phiona's always talking about how much she loves cooking," Pearl explained. "She says she plans to own a restaurant one day."

"It's a risky business," Piper sighed heavily. She grabbed a tube of icing and began to decorate the edges of the double layer cake in rippled, white cream frosting.

"Is that why you never got one?"

"Partially." Piper turned the cake around. "It was also too expensive. Phoebe and Prue had to sacrifice a little to just get me the club."

Pearl smiled sadly. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry!" Piper turned the cake again. "I love the club, don't get me wrong. I just miss all the cooking that goes along with a restaurant." She motioned towards a sifter on the edge of the counter. "Can you pass that over here?"

"Mhmm." Pearl grabbed the sifter and passed it to her aunt. "What's that for?"

Piper set down the white icy and held the sifter over the cake. She poured an eighth of a cup of powdered sugar into the silver utensil and began to sprinkle it over the top layer of the cake, and the edges of the bottom layer that poked out from the top. "It's to help make a cool little design to the cake. It gives it texture and color."

"Aunt Piper!"

Startled, Piper dropped the sifter and powdered sugar flew through the air as the sifter pummeled towards the cake. Without even lifting a finger, everything in the room minus the witches themselves, froze. Piper left out a small gasp as she moved back from the frozen white cloud. She plucked the sifter from the air and set it cautiously on the counter and slid the cake away from underneath the sugar cloud.

"Pam," she said slowly. "You can't just startle people like that." She moved across the kitchen, grabbed the garbage can, and moved back to the sugar cloud. Piper positioned the garbage can under the cloud and stepped back, unfreezing the powdered sugar. Most of it, as she'd predicted, fell into the trash. Some, however, flitted through the air and dusted the counter and floor in a layer of white.

Pam frowned. "I just wanted to tell you that the bounce house guys are here."

"Really?" Pearl's eyes lit up. "Yes! I've been waiting for that! I haven't been in one of those since the last circus!"

"They're in the living room, talking to your mom."

"Oh! Lets go see if we can watch them set it up!" Pearl grinned, jolting across the kitchen and passed Pam, disappearing into the next room.

"Do you want to come too?"

Piper shook her head and motioned to the cake. "I've still got quite a lot of work ahead of me," she sighed.

"Oh. Okay." Pam waved slightly. "I'll see you later."

"See ya, kiddo." Piper flipped around to the kitchen as her niece left, looking at the powdery mess. "It would happen to me, wouldn't it?" She glanced at the cake, which had been saved from the brink of catastrophe. _This time_, she quietly reminded herself.

----

Paige unscrewed the dark blue bottle cap from her Dasani water bottle, and placed the neck of the bottle to her bright red lips. She half smiled over the top of the bottle at the man in front of her, who was dressed in a grungy blue work suit. "So yeah, it can go right out in the backyard." Paige lifted her hand, pointing through the kitchen. "It's right out there. When you walk in, the only door you see is the one that will lead you out there."

"Thanks," the man replied gruffly.

"Can we watch?" Pamela blinked brightly at the man, stopping him dead in his tracks. "Sure," he groaned.

Pam turned to Pearl, high fiving her. "We'll be the first ones in," she whispered.

"This way, guys!" The man, probably in his late fourties or so, motioned to his workers to follow him through the Manor.

Paige twirled the blue cap in her hands as she watched her daughter and niece, followed by the men in blue suits, disappear into the kitchen. As she was about to place the water bottle back to her lips, she saw her sister walk into the room. "Hey, Piper. You done with the cake?"

"No, not by a long shot. But I just realized I'm out of lavender icing, and so I was on my way up to ask Leo if he could stop by the bakery and pick me some up." As Piper reached the stairs, she heard her sister intake sharply.

"Piper!" The Dasani bottle dropped from Paige's hands as she threw out her arm in her sister's direction. The glow of a pyrokinetic blast literally glinted off her whiter than snow skin. She felt the water splash coldly against her bare legs as she opened her mouth to call for the fire blast.

Piper turned around. Before her mind could even think of freezing the cackling flames, she involuntarily clamped her eyes shut as she felt the impending heat on her skin. Then she felt her body flying up the stairs and smacking harshly into the steps with a bone crunching smack. It had definitely not been what she expected. When she opened her eyes, she found herself soaking wet. Her eyes lifted up and to the side, staring at her baby sister, who still had her arm outstretched. All she could say was, "What the hell?"

_**TO BE CONTINUED….**_


	30. Thank You For Transmorphing

A/N: Guys, I'll be adding "Four's A Charm" to the titles of the stories in this series (not in the body of the series, however). And FYI, I honestly didn't realize that all the girls' names ended in an "a," until I was writing them down one time and I was like, "Whoa!" And I figured I didn't want to break the tradition I'd accidentally created.

_**Change Happens**_

_**Chapter 30: Thank You For Transmorphing**_

"Paige!" Piper tossed out her soaking wet arms and in a shower of red sparks, the energy ball that was heading for her baby sister exploded. She scrambled to her feet and used the stair rail to hobble down the steps. With every step, she could feel her shoes squishing under her toes. Again, she tossed out her hand and forced the demon across the room to explode in a fiery vanquish, leaving only a trail of black smoke.

Paige stared down at her hand, oblivious to her sister yelling her name or the fact that the demon had just been vanquished.

"Paige!" Piper hobbled over to her sister. Her back was still aching from the crash. She ignored it. The witch grabbed her sister by the arm and shook her. "What the hell happened? The last thing I remember is seeing a fire blast coming out me, and the next thing I know I'm pummeled into the stairs with water!"

Paige held up her arm, allowing her hand to hang limply on her wrist. "I d-don't know," she gaped. "I was about to call for the fire blast, when suddenly it began to glow and then transformed into a hydrokinetic blast."

"It glowed?" Piper looked incredulous. "Do you remember what our demon looked like?"

Paige nodded.

"Book of Shadows." Piper grabbed her sister's wrist and began to pull her up the stairs, muttering profanities to herself as she went.

Paige, on the other hand, just kept staring at her arm in disbelief.

----

"Finally." Phoebe Halliwell stepped up to the front of the counter, plastering a bright smile to her face.

"How can I help you?"

"We're here to rent some ponies for my niece's birthday."

The woman behind the counter smiled regretfully.

Phoebe held up her index finger, not allowing the woman time to explain why she was smiling to sadly. "I called and requested them yesterday. The man on the phone said they'd have them."

"Did you get his name?" The placed her fingers to the keyboard in front of her.

"Uh…" Phoebe looked to her husband. "No." Her eyes drifted to the floor.

"What's your name?"

"Phoebe Halliwell."

The woman clicked the keys on her computer for over a minute, and then glanced up at Phoebe, shaking her head. "I'm sorry, but I have no record of you having put them on hold."

"Well I didn't," Phoebe clarified. "But I talked to the man yesterday, who said he was sure they'd have more ponies in today."

"And we did," the woman said. She waved towards the door. "But the woman before you rented our last one."

"What!"

"I'm sorry for your inconvenience."

"No! I have to have those ponies!"

"There's nothing I can do."

"But you don't understand-"

"I'm going to have to ask you to leave now." She stood up and pointed indignantly towards the door.

"You can't do this!"

The woman pressed her finger to a red button on her telephone. "Security-"

"We'll go!" Cole interjected. He grabbed his wife by the shoulders, leading her to the exit.

"Cole!"

Cole glared as he pushed the witch outside. "I would gloat right now, but I think you've already caused enough of a scene."

Phoebe wrinkled her nose in displeasure. "Pandora's gonna be crushed."

"She'll get over it," Cole promised.

----

"That's him."

Piper ran her finger down the page and frowned. "He's a low level demon with the power of fire." She curled her fist. "It says nothing about him being able to change water into wine!"

"Actually, it was fire into water."

"Whatever!" Piper slammed the Book closed. "I don't get it." She cupped her mouth. "Leo!"

A larger than usual bout of orbs appeared, depositing Leo, still dressed in his whacky clown costume. "What?" He frowned.

The half whitelighter stifled a giggle.

"I need you to go ask The Elders about demons who can change fire into water."

"What!" Leo threw his arms into the air. "I can't!"

"Why?"

"Have you seen me?" Leo flicked his wrist along his fantastical outfit.

"So?"

"So? So I'll be the laughing stock of the heavens!"

"Isn't that what clowns are for?"

"Piper!"

Piper's hand rose. "Leo. I don't feel like arguing with you right now."

"Why can't Paige go? She's a whitelighter too."

"Because she needs to stay here with me and help finish the decorations before Pandora gets back with Andy."

"Ugh."

"Well what are you waiting for? Go!"

Glaring, Leo orbed out.

----

"Mommy! Mommy look what Uncle Darryl gotted me!"

Prue trotted to keep up with her eldest child, who was yanking her across the parking lot by the wrist in order to get to the car. "Pan-Pandora!" She came to a sudden halt, almost running into the corner of her and Andy's car as Pandora stopped.

"Look!" Pandora grabbed the door handle of the back door and swung it open, revealing a large box with a picture of a pink Easy Bake Oven on it.

Prue glanced at Andy. "Wow," she smiled enthusiastically. "Did you tell him thanks?"

Pandora bobbed her head. "A huh."

"That's really cool, Pandora." Persia peered over her aunt's shoulder to glance at the toy. "I always wanted one of those when I was little too."

"You can play wif it if you wants," the telepath offered. She batted her doe-like lashes.

Persia chuckled. "That's okay." She glanced at Andy. "Hey, uhm, I was wondering if you could drop me off in Chinatown before you go home."

"How will you get home?"

The electrokinetic crossed her arms. "I've got an uncle, an aunt, and a step-father who all have teleportive powers. I'm willing to bet I can find a way home."

Prue's eyes darted to her wrist. "Before three o' clock?"

"I only need to do some minor shopping," the teenager persisted. "I promise I'll be home by the time the party starts."

Prue turned to her husband. "Andy?"

The Inspector shrugged. "It's fine with me. But I want you to call your mom and tell her."

"Okay," the electric witch replied, dipping her hand into her drawstring purse and retrieving her camera phone.

"Mommy, do you tink Auntie Piper will play Easy Bake wif me?"

Prue ruffled her daughter's black curls. "I think she'd really like it if you asked."

The telepath beamed in delight.

----

"Nice outfit," Glenn chuckled as Leo orbed in.

Leo glowered. "Have you seen Piper?"

Glenn shook his head. "I was just about to ask you if you've seen Paige."

"Funny," Leo replied sarcastically. "It didn't seem like it, amidst your chuckling."

"Geeze," Glenn frowned. "Touchy, touchy."

Leo stumbled past the mortal, moving towards the stairs. "Piper!"

Glenn scooped the baby carrier up, which held infant Phaelinna, and followed his brother-in-law. "What's so urgent?"

"Piper asked me to go check with The Elders about some demon."

"Like that?" Glenn gasped.

"That's what I said." The whitelighter hobbled up the stairs, holding the railing for balance. He just knew that even with precaution, he was bound to fall in the obnoxious clown shoes.

"There you are!" Piper tapped her foot as she appeared at the top of the stairs. "Where've you been?"

"Where do you think?"

Piper groaned. "So?"

"So They've got nothing. The only demons They know of with the power of transmorphation are high level demons."

"Transmorphation?" Paige asked, moving up behind her sister.

"The ability to change objects into other objects," Leo replied.

"But it wasn't an object, it was a power."

"Same thing." Leo arched his brows. "Why is this worrying you so much anyway? You vanquished the demon, right?"

"Yes."

"So?"

Piper sighed. She moved down the steps, stopping at the step above her husband's. "I just don't want anything to ruin Pandora's party."

Leo wrapped his arm around his wife's back, pulling her close. "We won't let another Chimera attack during one our niece's birthday party," Leo promised, referring to Pearl's birthday a few weeks earlier.

"Well things are already going downhill," Piper whined. "The Chimera breathed fire. The demon I vanquished breathed fire…"

"It'll be fine, I promise." The whitelighter leaned in to kiss his wife, only to have his red nose get in the way, and honk as it poked Piper's cheek.

The nose caused a sleeping Phae's eyes to flash open in terror, and she began to wail.

"I've got this!" Glenn shouted over the infant's cries. He hurried down the remainder of the stairs, talking softly to his niece as he did so.

----

Persia watched as her aunt and uncle's vehicle disappeared into the rush of cars, and then she turned on her heel and began wading through a mob of people to get into a small shop at the center of Chinatown.

The Child of Light had been waiting to get to Chinatown, alone, for several weeks. Actually, it had been more like a month. Ever since Phae had been born. She needed ingredients for a spell to conjure up visions of people, similar to a crystal ball. She wanted to check in on Alyssa Peterman.

Persia had been to the hospital previously, but Alyssa had denied any visitors to her room. Her so-called asthma attack had taken place on a Wednesday, and there had only been two more days of school for the year, which Alyssa hadn't been present for. Since the start of Summer Vacation, Persia hadn't seen or heard from her. She had a bad feeling.

The bell above her head rung as she stepped into the small shop. The first thing she noticed was the thick, wafting smell of cinnamon incense. Her eyes watered at first, and then she waved her hand and moved towards the back of the store, where the smell didn't seem to be as strong.

_Besides_, she thought wryly, _the cherry buds and goat hair are back here anyway._ She snickered to herself. When she'd read the spell, she wondered why goat hair was needed anyway. "Whatever," she sighed as she rounded the corner. She froze. Persia Halliwell couldn't believe her eyes. Or her luck. There, at the end of the isle, was the very person she'd come here to spy on. _Not in person of course_, she thought, _but it'll do._

She sucked in a deep breath and moved down the isle, pretending not to notice the teenager. _This can't be a coincidence! If I've learned anything from living in the Manor, everything happens for a reason! This has got to mean I'm meant to help her._ Her eyes widened and she dropped her mouth open dramatically. "Alyssa? Oh my gosh! Is that you?"

Alyssa Peterman spun around, her face growing red. The small package she was holding dropped to the floor. "P-Persia!" She stammered, stepping back. "Wh-what are you doing here?"

"Uh." Persia glanced around. "J-just…" She closed her eyes, attempting to gather a good excuse. The scent of cinnamon hit her. "Picking up some incense for my aunt," she lied.

"Oh."

"You?"

"B-browsing," Alyssa murmured.

"Here, let me help you." Persia reached for the fallen package, but Alyssa slapped her foot over it.

"I'll get it!" Alyssa flashed a fake smile. She grabbed the package from under her foot and shoved it behind her back. "It was great seeing you."

"Wait! I haven't seen you since you were taken to the hospital. How are you?"

"Fine." She shook her head. "Those asthma attacks. They can be brutal. But I always pull through." Alyssa edged towards the edge of the isle. "Hey, uhm, I'm late and I really have to go. So I'll see you later, okay?" She turned around without waiting for Persia to answer, and disappeared into the crowd.

Persia crossed her arms. "She's hiding something," she sighed. Then an idea occurred to her. She turned to the shelf Alyssa had been looking at, and grabbed a package similar to the one she'd seen the teenager holding. Her mouth went wide in surprise. "Goat horns?"

----

"I cannot believe this!" Phoebe barged into the kitchen with her hands flailing in the air.

"Phoebe, it was just a few ponies!"

"But it was what Pandora wanted!"

"What's going on?"

Phoebe moved to the kitchen table, eyeing Glenn. "Ponies!"

"What?" Glenn's eyes shifted to Cole, as he lightly rocked baby Phae.

"The ponies we were sent out to rent for the party," the half demon sighed. "They were all out. And worst of all, the woman in front of us took the last ones."

"And that's the thing that only happens in the movies," Glenn droned. "Or on television." He stroked the newborn's soft, brown hair. "Pheebs, do you mind getting me that bottle that's on the stove?"

"Sure." The Charmed One plucked a banana from the fruit bowl in the center of the table. She crossed the room to the stove, and grabbed the bottle from the bubbling water. "It might be too hot," she warned.

"Can you test it for me?" Glenn shifted his niece to his other arm.

Phoebe squirted a drop of milk onto her wrist and frowned. "You might want to wait a few minutes, Glenn." Her heels echoed against the tile as she moved over to her brother-in-law. "Where's Prue, anyway?"

"Didn't Persia call you?"

Phoebe looked confused. She reached into her back and gasped. "No!"

"What?"

The witch yanked up the flap of her jacket, revealing her wriggling fingers from the open seem where her cell phone had been.

Glenn snickered. "You lost your cell?"

"And twenty bucks," Phoebe growled. "I put the change from Arby's in here too," she said as she spied her husband. "I told you that you should've held it!"

"Well, Prue and Andy called earlier. They said they'd be a little late getting back, because they dropped Persia off at Chinatown."

"Chinatown? Why?"

Glenn shrugged. "I dunno. You're the ones who always go there." He tested the bottle again, and then placed it to Phae's lips, who eagerly accepted it. "Mmmm, that's good, huh sweetie?"

Phoebe grabbed the nearest chair and slumped down in it, still staring at the large hole in her pocket. "I just can't believe that. It was a brand new cell phone! I just got it two weeks ago."

"You should've gotten insurance on it," Cole chastised. "I told you."

"Well I've never needed it before!"

"Never say never."

Phoebe rolled her eyes. She pinched the top of her banana and began to peel down the sides, revealing a very fresh, very yellow piece of soft fruit.

"Is Prue back yet?" Paige pranced into the room, heading straight for the fruit bowl.

"No." Phoebe bit off the tip of her banana. "What's up with you? You look harried."

"Piper and a demon quest." Paige grabbed the edge of the fruit bowl and pulled it to the edge of the table. She stared in annoyance. "What?"

"What, what?"

"Where'd all the oranges go?"

Phoebe shrugged. "Don't look at me. I just grabbed the banana."

Paige's eyes shifted to the mortal. "You!"

"I just wanted to make orange juice!"

Paige snorted. She grabbed a plump, bright red apple and shoved the bowl back to the center of the table. "I can't believe you took all the oranges!"

Cole bit his lower lip. "Uhm, Paige?"

"What?" The half whitelighter replied acidly. She turned her brown gaze to Cole.

"Your apple's glowing."

Paige turned to the right, looking at her hand. Sure enough, her apple was glowing with a yellow hue. When it faded away, a plump orange sat between her fingers. "Uh oh."

_**TO BE CONTINUED….**_


	31. Halliwell Birthday To You

A/N: I noticed there is a little confusion about things. So I want to clear that up. One, Paige is not pregnant. And two, Persia's father is not a demon. He's an evil witch, but not a warlock. (In my _Charmed_ universe, the two are different.) Special thanks to Ross, who talked me through my problems with this chapter/subplot. You're awesome, Ross! ;)

_**Change Happens**_

**_Chapter 31: Halliwell Birthday To You_**

"Piper!" Paige burst into the attic, waving the orange in her hand.

Glaring, the elder witch asked, "What?"

"Look!"

"It's an orange."

"I made it."

Piper smirked. "Paige, last I checked, you didn't even like gardening."

"No!" Paige shoved the fruit at her sister. "It used to be an apple."

"What?"

Phoebe tromped into the room with Cole and Glenn behind her. "It's true, Pipe. We all saw it. She was holding an apple when it glowed and then…"

"Poof!" Glenn titled the baby bottle. "It was an orange."

Piper snatched the orange from her sister's hand and examined it.

"What do you think?"

"I think," Piper drawled, "that Paige here just got a new power."

Paige stared at her snow white hands for a long moment, and then she slowly turned in a three-sixty circle, before finally making her way back to face Piper. "Well it's about damn time!"

----

The key clicked and Prue pushed the front door open. "We're home!" She frowned as she noticed the only half decorated Manor. "Piper! Paige!" She glanced over her shoulder. She could see her husband was trying to unbuckle Pandora. She shrugged and walked inside, leaving the door ajar. "Glenn?"

"Yes, yes, yes! This is so cool!"

Prue looked up to see Paige hopping down the stairs. "What's going on?" She placed her hands on her hips.

Paige stumbled down the remainder of the stairs and burst into Prue's arms, nearly knocking them both over. "Guess what! Guess what, guess what, guess what!"

Prue wriggled from Paige's vice grip and folded her arms. "What's got you so ecstatic, chica?"

"I got a new power!" Paige bellowed. Her normally white face was glowing pink with pride and excitement.

"You what?" Prue's eyes glistened. "Really, Paigey? What is it? How did you find out?"

"Trans-something-or-other."

"Transmorphation," Piper chimed in.

"Yeah, what Piper said."

"What's that?"

"I can shapeshift stuff," the half whitelighter replied simply. "I turned a fire blast into a water blast."

"Which I was on the other end of," Piper glowered.

"And an apple into an orange!"

"Paige!" Prue enthused. "That's so great! I'm so proud of you!"

"I know!" Paige clasped her hands together. "I can't wait to use it on our next baddie of the week." A smug look crossed her face. "Maybe I'll turn him into a pile of cow dung."

Piper raised her arm in protest. "Not on my rug, you don't!"

"What's going on?" Andy asked, his voice slightly muffled from the large Easy Bake box in front of his face.

"Do you need some help with that?" Phoebe asked.

"Fine," Andy grumbled.

"Aunt Piper!" Pandora yelped giddily. "Wanna play Easy Bake wif me?"

Piper hunched to the ground and stroked Pandora's hair. "Where'd ya get that, sweet stuff?"

"Uncle Darryl."

"Wow." Piper beamed. "Sure, honey, I'd love to make some stuff with you. How about after your party, okay?"

Pandora nodded intently. "Daddy, come take Easy Bake to my room!"

"Sure," the Inspector groaned. He waddled around the group in the middle of the room and headed towards the stairs.

"Uhm, Andy." Paige flicked her wrist, orbing her brother-in-law to the top of the stairs. "Just thought that might help."

"Thanks!" Andy yelled over the package. He could hear his daughter's footsteps as she ran up after him. He turned the corner, disappearing from view.

"You need to be careful with that," Piper chastised. "If your powers are anything like mine, you could end up changing someone into a water cooler instead of orbing them."

"Piper's right, you know." Prue moved to Glenn, and collected her youngest child. "You haven't forgot how many times Piper blew something up when she was trying to practice her slow motion power, have you?"

"No." The whitewitch sighed. Suddenly her eyes lit up with thought. "Hey, practice!" She slapped Prue's shoulder lightly. "Thanks for the idea, sis. I'm gonna go do that right now." She slipped out of the room in the direction of the kitchen.

"Don't touch my cake!" Piper bellowed after her.

----

Persia rounded the corner of a small Chinese restaurant, and moved into the alley. She pinched her nose, scowling at the smell of rotten, wet noodles and buzzing flies. She looked around cautiously, before yelling, "Aunt Paige!"

The witch tapped her foot anxiously. She'd never liked alley ways. They'd always given her the creeps. Especially when she'd lived in New York. The stories of robbery, rape, and killings always sent chills of her spine. Glancing up she yelled again, "Aunt Paige!" A noise stirred behind her. She whirled around.

To her horror, she was staring into the face of a black, red eyed rat. She shrieked and threw her hands into the air, emitting an electrical beam that missed the dirty creature by inches. She clambered backwards, sticking herself against the wall as the rat barred its teeth and scuttled after her. She screeched again, this time throwing out her arm purposefully. Her aim singed the rat's long pink tail.

A cloud of blue orbs materialized, giving the pained rat a chance to run behind the safety of two dumpsters, which were overflowing with moldy noodles. Out of the orbs, the youngest Charmed One stepped. She placed her hand to her forehead, glancing around. "Ewe. What's that?"

"What's what?"

"That smell."

"Noodles?"

"It smells burnt," Paige frowned.

Persia rolled her eyes. "You don't want to know." She took her aunt's arm and was instantly devoured in orbs.

When the blue glow had vanished, a red glow emanated from behind the dumpster. From behind it, stepped a tall African American man with squinty, ruby red eyes. He curled his fist in anger. "I've had just about enough of those witches!"

----3:00----

"Wow." Marcy Louis stood at the mouth of the stairwell. She was absolutely stupefied. Her mother had told her about the legendary Charmed Ones for as long as she could remember, but she never dreamed of being inside their home. Let alone coming to the birthday party of one of their children.

"Marcy!"

Marcy whipped her head around. A goofy grin was plastered on the little girl's face. "You have such a cool house!"

Pandora shrugged. "I can show you, if you wants to."

Marcy nodded enthusiastically. She pulled a small, dark purple Bratz camera from her pocket. "Can I get some pitures for my momma? She was weal excited that I was comin'."

"If you want," Pandora replied. She grabbed her friend's hand and tugged her up the stairwell. "You can see my woom fiwst."

Prue leaned her head on her husband's shoulder. She'd silently been watching from the front door. "I remember my first best friend," she smiled.

"Sarah Bower?"

"Yeah, that backstabbing bi-"

"Itch?" Andy interrupted.

"Right." Prue picked lightly at her cuticles. "We were the best of friends until first grade."

"When she hit on me," Andy smiled. "Although I wouldn't really call it 'hitting on,' because like you said, it was only first grade."

"Hey!" Prue wagged her finger. "She offered you a slice of her chocolate birthday cake, and then asked you to push her on our favorite swing. If that's not hitting on someone, then I don't know what is."

Andy puckered his lips. "I love you."

"I know you do," Prue said as she leaned in and pressed her lips to her husband's.

"Ewe!"

Prue and Andy spun around to see two more party goers in the doorway. Both of their faces turned a bright shade of red. "Uh-uh…"

"This way!" Piper charged up around her sister and brother-in-law, blocking them for the most part from the children's large eyes. "This way, guys! I'll take you all up to Pandora's room." She took the hand of the closest child and led him away, with the little girl in toe.

"Thanks Piper," Prue whispered, knowing that her sister wouldn't be able to hear her. She quickly squinted her eyes, closing the open door at she turned to her husband. The red in her face had faded to a soft pink.

"Maybe we should watch where we do these things?"

"Maybe." Prue entwined her fingers with Andy's and pulled him down the corridor. As they were about to enter the kitchen, a wall of orbs halted them. Prue pulled back, bringing Andy with her. "Paige?"

"Told you I'd make it back in time," Persia beamed. She crossed her arms and stood in the classic Halliwell gloating position.

"What's in the bag?" Prue asked, pointing to the plastic bag slung over her niece's shoulder.

"Spell stuff," Persia replied simply. She slipped away from her aunt's line of vision and bounded up the stairs, hoping to avoid further questions. "The birthday girl's upstairs, right?"

"Yeah." Paige scratched her head. "Strange."

Andy rubbed his chin. "Teenagers." He glanced at Prue. "At least we won't have to worry about that for a while, huh?"

Prue nodded thoughtfully. "I'm gonna go find Phae. Care to come with?"

Andy glanced towards the witchlighter. "Paige?"

"Book of Shadows," she said as she moved towards the stairs. "I want to go read up on my new power." Her lips curled as she said the latter.

"Have fun," Prue called as she slipped into the kitchen with Andy in toe.

----

"Hurry up!" The dark skinned, red eyed rat demon paced the darkened tavern in a frenzy.

"It takes time to revive the vanquished," a far more sinister looking demon answered. His skin was the color of decayed, yellow-gray flesh and his eyes were black holes that seemed to go on for eternity. He wore a black trench coat that flapped around his feet as he moved, and he wore a sliver chain around his neck with a pendant in the shape of three linked sixes. The ends of each six poked out from a circle with surrounded most of the sixes.

The rat demon stopped abruptly, staring at the demon's pendant. "What is that, anyway?"

"What do you think?"

"If I knew, I wouldn't be asking, now would I?" The rat demon's ruby eyes flickered in the fire light. "It's like that symbol from that one movie…"

"'The Omen,' yes." The demon dipped his decaying hand into a pot of ashes and sifted his hand through it.

"Cliché, isn't it? For a demon to wear a Christian's triple six pendant?"

"It's not a triple six," the other demon growled. "It's a reverse Triquetra." He touched the silver metal with his free hand. "The Triquetra, the symbol of the Charmed sisters, is a Goddess symbol representing the circle of life. This symbol represents death, resurrection, and the undead where the Triquetra is birth, life, and death." He stroked it proudly. "It's the symbol of the Alchemists."

"I see." The rat demon's eyes glimmered as he watched smoke rise from the pot. "Is it ready?"

"You're lucky," the Alchemist glared. "If your demon had been any more powerful, my magic would've been too weak to revive him."

"Witch."

"What?"

"Not a demon," the rat demon snarled. "A witch. You're reviving a witch."

"A witch?" The Alchemist lurched back in alarm.

"An evil witch," the rat demon replied acidly. "Go about your business." He flicked his hand and resumed his pacing.

"No need." The Alchemist brushed his hands together and loomed over the pot. He touched both his hands to the pendant around his neck, and a black-purple glow burst from his hands to the pot of ashes.

The ashes burst from the pot like an explosion and swirled around in a black mass. It looked strangely like a mini twister that was growing from the ground up. As it disappeared, it left two feet, followed by long legs, hands, a torso, and then a neck. The ashes began to dissipate, just short of revealing the conjured person's identity.

----

"Do you think we should get the kids for cake?" Phoebe moved from cupboard to cupboard, looking desperately for something to snack on.

Piper frowned. "It seems a little early for cake, Pheebs."

Phoebe rubbed her stomach. "But I'm so hungry, Piper!"

Piper glanced over her shoulder, staring wistfully at her masterpiece of a baked good. "I guess," she sighed. She flicked her wrist. "Go tell them to come on down."

Phoebe jumped at her sister, squealing in delight. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She kissed Piper's cheek.

Piper rolled her eyes. "Go before I change my mind!"

Phoebe gave a mock salute, before scampering out of the kitchen.

"You know, you seem really on edge today."

Piper whirled around to see her husband, hidden of course under layers of white makeup and flabby clothing. She suppressed a chuckle. "I just don't feel good about today. Something about it doesn't seem right."

Leo frowned. "Are you sure?"

Piper nodded. "Gut instinct, maybe?"

"Then you should follow it," Leo sighed. "You know, you don't have to be psychic to know when something isn't right. You of all people should know that."

"I know." Piper chewed her lip lightly. Before she could think to answer, the pitter patter of little feet drew her eyes to the kitchen entrance, just as a lurch of small children rushed in. "Guys, hey!" She pointed to the kitchen table. "Take a seat, okay? I'll have the candles on in a few minutes." She sidestepped her husband and grabbed a package of pink, sparkle candles from the countertop.

"Fancy, much?"

"I thought they were cute," Piper retorted playfully. She lightly stuck six pink candles into the cake and then carried it to the table, where she set it promptly in front of her niece. She quickly gazed around the room, noting that everyone who should be there was there and then she placed her hands on her hips. "Leo, will you get the lighter please?"

"I got it, Piper." Tyler flashed a pearly grin at the Charmed One. He squinted his eyes and within a few seconds, each candle ignited into a sparking orange.

"I'm impressed," Piper grinned cheekily. "You've really been working on that."

The Firestarter wrapped his arm around Persia's shoulders, pulling her close to his side. "I've got a good teacher."

Piper winked playfully at her niece. "Well, Pandora, are you going to make a wish?"

The telepath nodded, and then climbed into her knees to sit a little higher on the wooden chair. She took in a deep breath and closed her eyes, making a wish. Then with a large exhaling breath, she blew each of the six candles out in one fail swoop. Opening her eyes, she saw the smiling faces of her parents and family, as well as the giddy ones of her Magic School friends.

"What did you wish fow?" Marcy asked curiously.

"Can't tell ya," Pandora winked playfully.

"Time to cut the cake!" Phoebe squealed. She wriggled from her husband's grasp and grabbed the knife on the corner of the table. The Charmed One squeezed between her niece and one of the guests, and delicately placed the blade of the knife to the pink icing. As she pressed it firmly into the spongy cake, her fingers began to sting and the hairs on her neck began to prick. Her slender fingers loosened around knife, sending it clattering to the floor.

"Miss me Phoebe?"

Sweat coated her now pale skin. She slowly turned around, shaking like a leaf.

"That's right," a sinister male voice sneered. "I'm back."

Phoebe grasped at the edge of the table for support. Her lips quivered as she whispered, "James."

_**TO BE CONTINUED….**_


	32. Old James Die Hard

A/N: "Old flames die hard." Ain't that the truth. Hey, guys, all jokes aside, I've got to warn you about this chapter. It is significantly more graphic in a sexual sense than what I usually write! It's very mild, compared to some people, but it also isn't anything like the attempted rape I wrote during Persia's Prom, as Phoebe actually was raped in my story. So you've been warned. Just so you guys know, as of June 23, 2006, I've been trying to post this for FOUR days! FFN has been giving me either an error message or blank page when I've gone to upload.

_**Change Happens**_

**_Chapter 32: Old James Die Hard_**

James' eyes lifted to Piper, who he could already see beginning to twitch her fingers. With a mere twitch of his lips, flames leaped out of thin air and shot into her like a bowling ball making a strike. He watched with perverted pleasure as the second eldest Charmed One tore backwards through the air. Quickly, he returned his focus to Phoebe. "Long time no see, Pheebs."

"Get away from my sister," Prue growled venomously. Her hand flew out and she curved it through the air in the motion from right to left.

James curled his fist and held his arm in a slanted position, in front of his face. He seemed to jerk a little to the side, but otherwise was left unharmed. "You didn't think I'd forget about you three, did you?" He chuckled malevolently. "I came prepared, Charmed One!" He clasped his palms together and forced them outwards, sending a barrage of red-orange flames across the room.

"Pandora!" Prue shrieked. Her eyes narrowed as she dove at her daughter. The flames arched in mid air, curving quickly to form a right angle, and then barreled into the refrigerator, reducing it to a smoking blob of melted plastic and metal in no time flat.

Taking advantage of the moment, James lurched at his ex and grabbed her by the forearm, pulling her into a rough embrace. He dug his nails into her tender skin as he smashed her face into his chest. Quickly, he maneuvered his other arm around the back of her body and managed to grab her butt before they both disappeared in a blood red burst of light.

"Phoebe!" Cole lunged at the light, running through it just moments too late. His face burned red as he slammed his fist into the corner of the island. He didn't even look up as he shimmered out.

Pandora shivered against her mother's warm body. "Mommy," she choked, "he has bad ideaws for Aunt Phoebe." Her eyes traveled from her shaking mother to her whitelighter uncle, who was now across the room healing Piper's wounds. She clutched her mother's arm as tears brimmed in her eyes. "He wants ta make hew cwy…"

Tyler looked around the room, gathering that he'd missed something. His brows knitted. "Who was that?"

Persia's grip on her friend grew ever so tighter. Her entire body was shaking as she stared at the spot where her mother had vanished. She hadn't taken her eyes away from it since James had appeared. Even before he'd called out to Phoebe, she knew. He'd locked eyes with her first, and it was the first time in her life in which she'd seen someone else with golden flecked eyes. "I think," she said just above a whisper, "he's my father."

----

Phoebe felt her wrist twist, as James shoved her into the wall. Her head was spinning. _How can he be back? We vanquished him!_ She shook away the thoughts, hopping to a fighting stance. She was a Charmed One, and she refused to let him take her. Not again. Her fists balled and she jerked into a fighting stance, ready to knock the evil witch to oblivion.

"Come now, Phoebe." James padded across the room, stopping casually at a mirror and adjusting the collar of his white dress shirt. "It's been far too long." He grinned as she moved towards him. He knew she planned to attack, but he also knew she'd fail. He was prepared for this time. He'd taken her once. She'd vanquished him once. He was now ready to break the tie.

James Kline watched from the corner of his eye. As he saw Phoebe's feet leave the ground, he swung around and grabbed her ankle, swinging her in a circle before shoving her through the air. He watched in sick delight as she landed roughly against the wall, again, and slid to the floor.

James folded his arms over his chest. He could feel a magical tug, but that was all. He knew Phoebe was trying to use her empathy on him. "You can't get a read, can you sweetheart?" He chuckled. "Like I told your sister, Prue was it? I came prepared, this time. I've protected myself from your powers."

"How?"

James snickered. "I think it's funny how in the movies the 'bad guy' always tells his secrets because he thinks he's in control, and then they come back to haunt him."

"So you know you're not in control?" Her voice was acidic.

"On the contrary. I'm smart. I know how not to have something backfire on me." He buttoned a cuff on his dress shirt, and then turned on his heel. He marched towards the psychic, who was still on the floor next to the wall. "Phoebe-"

"Get away from me!" Phoebe jolted upwards, and back handed James across the face.

"Agh!" A red handprint glowed on his face. He turned, his face contorting in vicious anger. He grabbed the clairvoyant and yanked her from the floor, hearing a small pop from the sheer force that he'd pulled at her arm. He dug his hands into her flesh and ignited a small fire from his palm, burning through Phoebe's skin. He smiled when she screeched in surprise and pain. He let go.

"I have plans for us, Phoebe Halliwell." He grabbed a clump of her curly brown hair and jerked her head back, pulling her face close to his own. He could feel her quickened breathing on his lips, and his eyes filled with excitement. "The only problem is, I want a family reunion first."

Phoebe's brown eyes flickered with bright alarm. "You stay away from my daughter!"

James leaned closer. His lips a mere centimeter from Phoebe's. "Our daughter."

Phoebe's face turned a dark red and her lips parted, emitting a hot globular of saliva from her mouth to James' eye.

"Agh!" James jerked back, releasing Phoebe's hair. He wiped his stinging eye with the back of his hand, wiping away the spit. He backhanded his ex, causing her to land on a king sized bed covered in black satin sheets.

The Charmed One scrambled towards the edge of the bed as soon as her body connected with the cushioned surface. To her surprise, a red field rose up around the perimeter of the bed and shocked her, sending her sprawling backwards into the center of the bed, landing in a spread eagle position.

James sniggered. "That's almost too perfect." He moved nearer to the bed, gazing down at the Charmed witch. "Brings back memories, doesn't it?"

_**----Flashback----**_

_The crush of bone against plaster echoed through the small, one bedroom apartment. Phoebe Halliwell, barely eighteen years of age, slid to the floor in a heap. Her makeup was smeared and dark streaks of tears and mascara were cascading down her unusually pale cheeks. Her just above shoulder length, deep brown hair was scattered around her face and small pieces clung to the wet streaks on her cheeks._

_The 18-year-old crossed her bare arms across her naked chest, in a vain attempt to cover up the prized body parts that her attacker was after. She squeezed her eyes shut. "Please!" She sobbed, hugging herself a little tighter. Her arms were covered with small nail marks and red welts, which would no doubt turn to bruises by the following morning._

_James Kline hovered above his prey. His six pack, hairless chest glistened in a stray beam of moonlight coming from the only window in the apartment. "I've had enough of this crap, Phoebe! I've been nice, but you just keep refusing to give me what I need. Now you're forcing me to take it." He reached for the sparkling golden belt buckle on his pants, and removed it. Slowly, he removed his black jeans, allowing them to slide down his burly legs and ring his ankles._

_He grabbed her by a clump of her dark brown hair, and yanked her quivering form up the wall, forcing her to look him in the eyes. He grinned with malice, and proceeded to throw her across the room. James watched in pleasure as she landed in a spread eagle in the center of her own, bare apartment. He moved quickly to her nude form, and shredded the last of his clothing before straddling her. "We're gonna have a good time tonight, Phoebe. I can feel it!"_

_Phoebe screamed as James pressed his hands to her arms, pinning her to the ground. Tears sprung from her raw eyes as she felt his weight on top of her, and then pain. Unbearable pain. She began to scream again as she felt him enter her body. She felt as though she was about to be torn in two. But her screams instantly halted when she felt his rough lips form a suction with her own._

_**----Flashback----**_

Soft chuckles brought her back to reality. Phoebe hadn't even realized that she was now in the fetal position, quivering at the edge of the bed; as far away from James as she could get.

"We're gonna have a good time tonight, Phoebe." The pyrokinetic flipped her a cocky grin. "I can feel it!" And with those words, he vanished in a burst of glowing red light.

----

"Here it is," Prue said. She slapped the page with James Kline's vanquishing spell. "But I want to know how this bastard got back!"

"Our main focus has to be finding Phoebe first," Piper whispered. She hovered over her baby sister's shoulder, hoping desperately that Paige might get lucky with scrying. In her heart, however, she knew differently. _If he used something to block himself from our powers, he no doubt did something to hide Phoebe from us too._

Paige pushed at the crystal again, but it simply hung limp in her hand. She shifted her eyes to her brother-in-law. "Leo?"

Leo shook his head. "Paige, I'm sorry. I can't find her. And if you, with both sensing and scrying can't find her-"

"Damnit!" Piper threw up her arms in frustration. She marched over to the book. Her eyes gleamed with hatred as she stared at the hand drawn picture of James. "Stayrus," she hissed, referring to the name he used among demons. Although James was technically a witch, Piper assumed that he preferred a more menacing or mysterious name among other beings of evil. Her fist curled in rage. "A tracking spell. We should try a tracking spell." She pointed to Paige. "You work on that. I'm going to go downstairs and work on a potion."

"What kind of potion?"

"Any kind!" Piper shrieked She shoved past Leo, moving out of the attic in a blaze.

Prue placed her hand to her head. "I'm going to go check on Persia, and see how she's doing."

Paige nodded as Prue left. She glanced around the attic. "I need a notepad and pen."

"I'll go get it," Leo offered. His shoulders slumped. He felt helpless for not being able to help more than that.

----

"Persia?"

Persia pulled her knees to her chest. She'd been sitting atop the toilet seat in the bathroom for the last ten minutes. Her face was buried in her arms, as her head was throbbing. She heard the knock at the bathroom door again, accompanied by her aunt's voice.

"Honey, are you in there?"

Persia was about to lift her head to answer, when a glint caught her eye. She looked up, seeing a red light glisten in the outline of a man. She gasped a little when James appeared in front of the mirror. She knew the only reason she was alive, sitting on that toilet seat was because of the man who'd just appeared. That, and her mother had somehow found it in her heart to not punish her for what had happened to her.

"I knew I'd find you here." James took a cautious step towards Persia. "Do you know who I am?"

Persia slowly backed off the toilet seat, and moved backwards until she was pressing her back against the shower door. "Yes." Her voice was monotone.

"Who?"

The golden specks in Persia's eyes gleamed. "You're…" Her voice cracked, filling with emotion. "You're the one who raped my mother!"

James pursed his lips. His head craned to the side, and then his face softened. "Is that what she told you?" He studied his daughter, noting just how much she looked like Phoebe. _But_, he thought wryly, _I can see that she's mine. I can see the gold in her eyes. The Golden Curse._ "It's not true," he said suddenly. "I loved your mother. And for a time, she loved me too."

"Liar."

"What's your name?" James neared her again. This time he reached out to her, moving in to touch her arm. He missed as she flinched away. "I can't believe you're all grown up," he smiled.

Persia held out her hand. Confidence suddenly springing to life in her sparking eyes. "Liar!" Electricity flitted on her fingertips.

"Persia!"

"Aunt Prue! Help!" Persia flung out her hand.

"I didn't want to do this," James hissed, "but if I have to I will!" He jerked out his hand and allowed something to drop to the ground. Glass crunched as it hit the floor, filling the room with an orange smoke. He reached through, grabbing the outline of his daughter's wrist just as the bathroom door blew off its hinges. By the time the smoke cleared, he'd escaped with Persia.

"No!" The mirror shattered under the pressure of the telekinetic energy that pummeled the room via her rage. She stormed off down the hallway, leaving the small orange wisps of smoke from the bathroom to dissipate into the air.

----

"Leo!" Phoebe stared up at the ceiling. She'd been yelling almost since the moment James had left her. And although she knew it was fruitless, she'd continued to scream until her throat burned. She pulled her legs to her chest and began to rock back and forth in the center of the bed.

Phoebe's mind wandered. _Why haven't my sisters come yet? Oh god, I hope he hasn't taken Persia!_ Tears bloomed in her brown eyes. _I can't loose her again._ She unconsciously placed a hand to her stomach.

_**----Flashback----**_

_Phoebe stared at her frail body in a floor length mirror. Her hair was pulled back into a high ponytail and she nothing but a pale blue hospital gown. She touched her arm and could see the faint outline of a brown bruise, that had been fading for about a month. Tiny, fading pink scars lined her arms as well._

_The 18-year-old bit her lip. Her usually sparkling eyes were dull, and outlined in red with heavy black circles from lack of sleep. Her cheeks were flushed with sickness, and her lips were parched and cracked. She heard the creek of the door behind her, but she didn't turn around._

"_Miss Halliwell?"_

_Phoebe's head dropped to her chest as she turned around, silently willing the doctor to continue._

"_I have your results." The woman frowned thoughtfully. Her white lab coat swished around her feet as she shut the door. She unclipped a white sheet of paper from her clipboard, and handed it to Phoebe. "I'm sorry, Miss Halliwell. But our blood work indicates pregnancy."_

_Phoebe's hand trembled as she took the white sheet with her results. "I-is there any chance it could be wrong?"_

_The doctor bit her lower lip. "It's ninety-nine point nine percent accurate, Miss Halliwell. You are welcome to get a second opinion, however."_

_Phoebe shook her head. Her hand tightened around the paper._

"_You do have options." The doctor turned to the sink, and grabbed the handle of a drawer and pulled it open. It was filled with several different colored papers. She picked up two pamphlets; one yellow and one mint green. "You can schedule an abortion," she spoke as she handed the yellow form to her patient. "And of course there's Planned Parenthood." She slid the green form over the yellow._

"_Thank you."_

"_I have a few more patients I have to get to, but if you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to call me." The doctor pulled a card from her beast pocket and handed it to the teen. She paused a moment, and when Phoebe said nothing, she left wordlessly._

_Phoebe watched the door shut and after a beat, she looked down at her forms. They shook as her hands shook. Turning back to the mirror, she took another glance at her flat stomach. She made a fluid motion to the trash can, balled up the green pamphlet, and tossed it inside. She set the yellow on the hospital bed and began to put on her clothing._

_**----Flashback----**_

As Phoebe reminisced, she couldn't remember how she'd ever thought of abandoning her daughter. _No_, she thought, _not abandoning. Taking her away all together._ Her lips puckered as a vile taste loomed at the base of her throat. She felt like puking. _If I'd gone through with it, she never would've shown up at the Manor that day._ Her eyes glazed as she remembered the first time she'd saw her daughter in fourteen long years.

_**----Flashback----**_

_Phoebe walked down the stairs. She could see her younger sister at the doorway. "Paige? Where are the heels I let you borrow last week?" Phoebe asked, as she ran a brush through her hair. She noticed a girl walking away from the Manor. "Who's that?" She asked, looking at Paige and Pandora._

"_Some girl who was asking about you….But when I said that you were 'Phoebe Turner' now, she wanted to leave." Paige answered._

_Phoebe rushed to the door. "Hey you! Wait a minute!" Phoebe called._

_Persia turned around. "Yes?" She asked._

"_I'm Phoebe. Who are you?" Phoebe asked._

_Persia froze in her tracks. She shook her head. "Hi…Mrs. Turner." Persia said._

"_Phoebe, please." Phoebe said. "And you are?" She asked._

_Persia held out her hand. "Persia…." She answered._

_This time Phoebe froze in her tracks. "P..Persia?...Oh God!" She gasped._

_**----Flashback----**_

"Phoebe?"

Phoebe's heart jumped as she was yanked back to reality. She looked up and gasped.

"Look who I brought to see you." James stepped aside, revealing their daughter behind him. He linked his arm around her shoulders and smiled proudly.

Persia's body was stiff. Her shoulders were broad and squared, and her arms stuck to her sides. But her eyes were the most frightening. They were glowing an electric yellow, similar to the way James' sometimes glowed red.

James touched his daughter's arm. "She's beautiful, isn't she Phoebe?" He looked his child up and down. "When I picked you to carry on my lineage, I never imagined I'd get so lucky."

_**----Flashback----**_

_James stood before a smoking, silver pot. He peered across a tiled countertop, glancing black leather booklet. It was opened to about the middle of the book, and the title on the left top page read: 'Fertility Potion'._

_James dragged his finger down the list of ingredients, which were written in blood red calligraphy. He stopped where it listed, 'paternal blood.' The male witch grabbed jeweled athame from the counter and held his hand above the smoking pot. He quickly jabbed the tip of the glinting blade into his index finger and watched as bubbles of deep red droplets, almost black, fell into the mixture. The pot hissed and gurgled, eliciting a stream of white steam from its center._

_The witch placed his cut finger to his lips, and licked away the remaining blood droplets. He set the athame aside, and proceeded to grab a wooden spoon and stir the potion. Several minutes passed, and then he reached into his pocket, extracting a small color photo. It was of himself and an 18-year-old Phoebe Halliwell._

_He grinned maliciously, before dropping the picture into the pot. He craned his neck as the picture dissolved instantly into the crimson liquid, and then he lifted the pot from the stove and poured it into a small glass. "Bottoms up," he chuckled, lifting the glass to his lips and taking a long swig. As the last drops vanished into his mouth, his entire body glowed a deep red._

_James Kline slapped the glass onto the counter, shattering it instantly. As he turned, his kitchen phone began to ring. He grabbed it from its cradle and placed the receiver to his ear. "Hello, James speaking." The witch grinned cockily. "Why yes, Phoebe. I'm on my way right now. Sorry I'm late. I just got held up at a business meeting." He licked his lips. "I'll see you soon. Bye." He peered over his shoulder one last time, eyeing the page for his Fertility Potion. And then he gone._

_**----Flashback----**_

"I've got a job for you," James crooned. He moved to his dresser drawer, and extracted a small folded paper. He unraveled it, and handed it to his daughter. "These are a list of names I'd planned to take care of before your mother vanquished me." He slid it into his daughter's hand. "Do you think you can finish the job for me?"

Persia nodded robotically.

"That's a good girl." James slid his hand around the back of her head, pulling her close to his face. He kissed her forehead gently. "Be a good girl, okay?" He snickered. "And I almost forgot." He glanced at Phoebe. "Kids love the cars nowadays, don't they?" He dipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out a key attached to a button to activate and deactivate an alarm. The male witch dangled the keys in front of his daughter. "Why don't you take the Porche?"

Persia's head cocked, as she eyed her mother. Her eyes stilled glowed lifelessly. She took the keys wordlessly, and turned on her heel, tucking the paper into her pocket.

"It's in the garage. Down the stairs to your left," James instructed. He watched his biological daughter leave the room and called out, "Drive safely!" When the door shut behind her, he turned to Phoebe. His eyes glinted a fiery red, and he smiled from ear to ear. "So, we're finally alone." He moved nearer to the bed. "What d'ya say we strike up that old flame?"

_**TO BE CONTINUED….**_


	33. Live Long Or Die Scrying

A/N: I loved writing this chapter. (I have an obsession with goriness.) Just FYI.

_**Change Happens**_

**_Chapter 33: Live Long Or Die Scrying_**

Persia Halliwell pushed the gear shift forward, locking it on 'P'. The ignition clicked off as she turned the key from front to back. The Child of Light leaned back into the soft, black leather of the chair and tugged the list from her pocket. She studied the first name: Natasha Lyons. "Thirteen-fifty, Nightengale Drive."

Persia pushed the driver's side door opened, and got out, taking the Porche's keys with her. The car beeped and its lights blinked twice after she activated its alarm. She turned away and darted up the street, rounding the corner onto Nightengale Drive. She hovered under the street sign for a moment, eyeing the numbers on the houses in order to figure out which side the evens were on and which were the odds.

With a quick swerve of her head, she ran across the street the moment the last car had disappeared onto the next street. She mentally noted that few cars were in their driveways, meaning one of two things: they weren't home, or they were in garages. She suspected the former, but wanted to keep a low profile nonetheless. If anyone were to see her or be able to describe her in Natasha's murder, she'd have to take care of them too.

The houses on the street were fairly uniform. Each were two story, and very modern. They all contrasted sharply with the classic San Francisco Victorians. There was a white picket fence around every lawn, a cement walkway down the center of each front yard, exactly three cement steps before one could reach the porch. The first home on the right side of the street was white with dark blue trim, the second was peach with white trim, the third a pale pink with red trim, and finally a mint green house with forest green trim. The pattern continued all the way up the street on the right and in the reverse, all the way down the left.

Thirteen-fifty, Nightengale Drive was the sixth house on the right side of the street. To match the others, it should have been peach and white. In striking contrast, however, it was an electric blue with lime green trim. The small fence was the same flashing green color. The lawn was the brightest of all the lawns, and dotted with children's toys. Unlike the other homes, there was a bright purple porch swing displayed next to the front door, and a small doggy door at the bottom of the main entrance.

Persia pushed through the lime green gate and moved down the cement walkway. It was covered in multi-colored chalk blotches. Pictures of animals, happy faces, a tic-tac-toe board, and even a hopscotch game had been drawn. Carelessly, the electrokinetic shuffled across them, leaving chalky footprints all the way up the walkway. She didn't realize it.

She approached the door cautiously, and leaned her ear against it. From her vantage point, she couldn't hear any noise. The teenager placed her hand to the golden handle and a small bolt of yellow energy coursed between the lock and doorframe. A small spray of wood chips fell to her feet, and a dark black scorch mark remained. The door swung open and Persia moved inside, not even bothering to shut the door behind her.

----

James moved through the force field with ease. Predicting Phoebe's movements, he caught her by the ankle and jerked her backwards, bashing her head into the headboard of the bed. "Work with me, Phoebe." He grabbed a small vial from his breast pocket and waved it at her. "I'm going to win either way."

Phoebe touched the back of her head, feeling a small drop of blood from the bash to her head. Her eyes were bleary, and she couldn't make James out. But as he spoke, she scrambled away from the sound of his voice. When she felt him grab her inner thigh, she screamed and aimed another blind kick.

James watched in perverse pleasure as the kick narrowly missed his head. "You're good even when you in a vulnerable position." He dug his nails into her thigh, and pulled her back to him. At the same time, he bit into the top of the cork on his potion vial and spit it out. In one swift motion, he grabbed the hem of Phoebe's shirt and pulled it up, revealing her bare, toned stomach. He turned the potion, dropping its dark orange contents onto her stomach.

Phoebe gasped. It felt like ice water being dumped onto her body. Goosebumps formed instantaneously. Then, to her horror, she felt all of her legs go numb and immovable. She flailed her arms, only to have James grab them both roughly and smack them back into the bed.

James moved eagerly onto the struggling witch, and pressed his mouth to hers. His eyes disappeared under a dark red glow. He hadn't felt so powerful in roughly seventeen years. He let loose her left arm and slid his hand up her shirt, only to feel her recoil and beat him blindly with the said arm.

As his eyes returned to normal, he planned to follow through with what he'd started, just as he saw a flash of red and black in the corner of the room. He growled. The witch picked himself up from Phoebe, and slid off the bed. "What do you want?" He demanded, addressing the rat demon who now stood in his room.

"We have a problem."

"What problem?"

"The alchemist says he needs to see you."

"I'm in the middle of something," the pyrokinetic growled.

"It can't wait. Unless, of course, you want to take the chance of combusting."

James curled his fist. "Fine." He glanced over at Phoebe, who he realized was just beginning to get her sight back. "We're not through," he promised. He moved quickly to the rat demon, grabbed him by the arm, and disappeared in a burst of red illumination.

----

The pink skin on Phaelinna's small face began to burn a bright red. Her eyes scrunched up and tears leaked from her small, hazel eyes. Her mouth opened as wide as possible, and a glass shattering shriek pierced the air.

Glenn barreled into the room. His eyes swept it quickly, searching for some scary beast of ominous figure. When he found none, he moved more cautiously to the bassinet that his niece was in. "Phae," he cooed. His voice seemed lost under her cries. He proceeded anyway, despite the fact that his ears were ringing with her screams.

"Sweetheart," he breathed. "It's okay, Uncle Glenn's here now." He plucked the pink bundle from the bassinet and held the screaming child close to his chest. "Shh, everything's okay. Uncle Glenn's here." Glenn began to rock her in a soothing motion, but it only seemed to agitate the child.

His mind wandered. He'd already given her a bottle, burped her, he'd changed her less than five minutes ago. _So what could possibly be wrong now?_ He scratched his nose, continuing to rock the screaming babe. Then he blinked, straining his mind for something Prue had told him years earlier. This situation seemed far too much like déjà vu.

_**----Flashback----**_

_Glenn Belland's eyes were streaked with tiny, bulging red lines. He'd been up for hours now, and nothing was going in his favor. His hair was a mess and his face was creased his lines. Dark circles hung under his eyes. In fact, he'd been so tired that he hadn't even dressed himself properly. He'd missed buttoning about three buttons in the middle of his pajama top._

_He groaned, shuffling across the kitchen floor with his tiny daughter in his arms. "Baby," he pleaded, "come on now. Daddy's tired. Can't you be tired too?" He stared at the small bundle in his arms, giving her his best bargaining look. "Please?"_

_Pearl, barely two weeks old, just howled at her young father. Her entire body was shaking as she screamed at the top of her lungs. The infant's face was a dark scarlet, verging almost on violet, and her little brown eyes were like tiny broken Hoover Dams._

"_Glenn?"_

_Glenn's head bounced up and he shrunk back in embarrassment. "Hi, Prue."_

"_What's going on?" The eldest witch yawned. Her voice was barely audible over the baby's screams._

"_I can't get her to stop crying," Glenn moaned in desperation. "I've been up with her since midnight." He looked at the time on the microwave. "And now it's just about three."_

_Prue's slippers made a scratchy noise as they moved across the sleek tile of the kitchen floor. "Can I?"_

"_Be my guest."_

_Prue slipped her niece from Glenn's arms and began to jiggle the child. Her cries lessened severely. Prue stroked the infant's fine brown hair and grinned. "Aw, feel better baby?"_

"_How did you do that?" The mortal's jaw dropped in astonishment._

_Prue giggled. "Walk with me." She moved out of the kitchen and headed for the stairs. "I think I might be able to teach you something."_

_Glenn clasped a hand over his mouth and yawned, following his sister-in-law. "Whatever you say."_

"_This is called the jiggle," Prue explained as they both reached the top of the stairs. "It replicates the warm feeling of still being in the womb." She winked as they continued their track down the hall. "And there's also the wave, but it's better if you just master one first. Do you want to try it?"_

_Glenn instantly thrust his hands up, creating a barrier between himself and Prue. "No offence, but I don't want to mess with a good thing."_

_Prue chuckled. "You sound like Piper."_

"_I thought Piper wanted kids."_

"_Oh, now she does," Prue agreed. "But before, when she dated this guy named Dan, she wasn't sure if she did." Her blue eyes rolled back in her head. "You should've seen the way she tried to get out of dealing with this little boy we had to protect. Although, just between you and me, I think she had a better time than she let on."_

"_Ahmm," the mortal yawned._

_Prue stopped behind the Book of Shadows. She shifted Pearlinda, who was now down to a soft whimper, to her other arm and narrowed her eyes. The front cover of the Book flew open and the pages began to whistle as they moved via Prue's power._

"_Have you ever thought about having kids?"_

"_Me?" Prue stole another look at her niece. "Once upon a time." Her blue eyes were wistful._

"_What changed your mind?"_

"_Well…" The pages stopped turning, and Prue nodded at the page. "Oh! Here we go." The witch telekinetically lifted the Book up and spun it around in mid air, so that now it was facing Glenn instead of her. "Phoebe, Piper, and I found this last year. It's not much, but I thought it might help."_

_Glenn rubbed his eyes and peered at the yellowed pages. "'Sometimes a baby just has to cry.' Who wrote that?"_

"_My mom." Prue lowered the Book back down to the pedestal, and moved back to Glenn. "Ya wanna try now?"_

_Glenn chewed his lip a moment, and then held out his hands. "Okay." To his surprise, when he copied Prue's technique, his daughter didn't cry. In fact, even her whimpering ceased. He looked back at his sister-in-law. "Thanks."_

"_No problem."_

_**----Flashback----**_

"Sometimes a baby just has to cry," he repeated. Glenn began to slowly jiggle his niece, hoping that her crying would lessen or even halt altogether. To his partial relief, it did lessen. But he also found himself wondering why Phae was still behaving the way she was. The jiggle had always worked wonders with Pearl and her cousins. _So why not Phae?_

"Baby girl," he whispered, "what's wrong? You can tell me. You can tell your good old Uncle Glenn." The mortal changed tactics, attempting the wave. Again, it had little to no effect on the infant. He was just about ready to give into the fact that sometimes a baby just has to cry, when he felt a sharp piercing inside his head. He winced in pain as psychic energy pummeled his mortal mind.

_**----Premonition----**_

_Dark gray smoke coated the entire room like thick pea soup. It hung there, unmoving and ominous for several seconds. Then it began to shift and spread out, clearing slightly to reveal a shadowy pair of arms waving in the distance. When all of the smoke had leveled off, it revealed the petite form of Persia Halliwell._

_Dark blood was spattered across her peachy face. Small tendrils of hair dripped the gooey red liquid. Her clothing was soaked, and a large pool of red flowed at her feet. The electrokinetic witch moved around the red puddle, kneeling next to the woman that she'd murdered._

_The young woman's face was completely void of color. Her throat had been sliced open literally from one ear to the other. A small fountain of blood spurted from the center of her neck, adding to the pool next to her. Her eyes were frozen wide in terror, and gray smoke sifted from the gaping hole in her chest. The perimeter of the hole was nothing but black, crusted skin._

_Persia took her limp hand, and placed her fingers to the wrist. Satisfied with having found no pulse, she let the arm fall back to the ground. The blood sloshed as the dead hand fell into it, splashing her knees with blood. The Child of Light stood up and reached into her pocket, pulling out a small list. She wiped her finger across her knee, taking some of the blood onto it. Then she made a swift motion across the paper, drawing a bloody line through 'Natasha Lyons'._

_**----Premonition----**_

Glenn staggered. His face had gone shock white and he found he wasn't even able to utter sounds. _How long have you been seeing this?_ His wide eyes turned to the infant at hand. He couldn't believe that the child had been forced to view such a gruesome sight. Shaking, he turned and pounded up the stairs.

----

"I've got her!" The scrying crystal dropped from Paige's hand. The whitelighter bounced from her seat with one hand on the side of her hand, and the other blindly reaching for her older sister. "Hurry, before I lose her!"

"Paige!" Glenn jolted into the attic. Sweat glistened on his brow.

"Glenn, we don't have time! Persia-"

"Is about to kill someone!"

"What?"

"Or already has."

"What!" Prue shrieked. "How?"

"I saw one of Phae's premonitions," Glenn gasped. "It was…horrible! There was so much blood…"

"Where?"

"I, uh, I don't know."

"Tell Piper we'll be back soon," Paige said in a rush. She grabbed Prue's hand and dissolved into orbs. Her destination: thirteen-fifty, Nightengale Drive.

"It's okay," the mortal soothed. "Your mom and Aunt Prue are gonna fix things like they always do. That's not gonna happen, sweetheart. I promise." He held his niece close, silently hoping that he was right.

----

The eldest Child of Light stood at the top of the stairs. She'd already searched the first floor of the home and concluded that it was empty. She strode down the hall with confidence. To her delight, the sound of soft humming filled her ears. She was close.

There were three closed doors, and an opened bathroom. Persia leaned close to the first door. Nothing. She moved to the second and leaned her ear close. Again, no sound. She smiled with malice as she moved to the third one. The witch held out her hand and bright yellow sparks flickered on her fingertips.

She thrust out her hand and a zigzagging bolt of neon yellow electricity flew from her fingertips. A shower of wooden splinters rained down on her as the door disintegrated. Persia cocked her head at the sight of a young blonde woman, standing protectively in front of two small children, neither one older than five.

"Get out of my house!"

The teenager rolled her eyes. "I've got a job to do." She threw out her hand, grazing the woman's right leg with a stream of yellow electricity. "If you'd just hold still-" Her hair flailed around her face. She found herself sailing through the air, smashing into the wall of the hallway.

"Oh-okay, the hard way," the teen snarled. She curled a fist and pounded it into the floor. The floor burst to life as small yellow sparks jumped across the carpet fibers. They zigzagged their way from her fist to that of her intended victim, literally sending her flying off her feet.

"Leave my mommy alone!" The little girl stomped her foot. The house seemed to rattle, almost like an earthquake. She held out her hand and a blast of sand particles went flying at Persia.

"Agh!" The teen threw her hands in front of her face, shielding it from shower of prickling sand. Her hair began to pull from her head as static electricity exploded from her body. Jagged electric strikes tore from every orifice of her skin. The room and hallway became blinded in an electric yellow flash.

At the end of the hallway, a few blue orbs descended from the ceiling, swirling and forming into the outlines of two women. When the glowing lights disappeared, Prue and Paige stood in their place.

"Oh, Paige!" Prue grabbed her little sister by the shoulders and swung her around, covering Paige's body with her own. Then their forms began to grow fuzzy as Prue activated her power to phase, just in time for the yellow electric beam to pass through them.

The sound of explosions rocketed her ears and when she looked up again, everything around her was covered in charred black. Prue pulled back, turning them both solid again. "Are you okay?"

"Fine, thanks to you." Paige placed her hand to her forehead, squinting down the hallway. She could see her niece rising to her feet. "Oh no you don't!" The Charmed One's hand flew out instinctively. To her surprise, the floor under Persia began to glow a yellow color. "Uh, Prue…"

Prue came up behind her sister, just in time to see gooey black tar materialize under Persia's feet, where carpet had originally been. "Did you do that?"

"I think so," Paige murmured in surprise. "I had just been thinking about stopping her and…" She waved her hand in the direction of the tar. The Charmed One could see her niece struggling to move her feet, but they seemed stuck in the gooey black.

"Nice." Prue was about to make a smart comment when the sound of small whimpering caught her ear. She flew past Paige and jumped over the tar square, landing in the room in which the children were in. Prue gasped.

Blood spatter covered the walls. Everything else was black and smoking. The telekinetic cupped her mouth and padded further, until a small body caught the corner of her eye. She dropped to her knees, touching the blackened arm of a small little girl. Tears leaked from her eyes as she checked for a pulse. It was there, but faint. She was about to call for Leo, when she spotted a second child; a boy. "Leo!"

Paige grabbed for niece's arm, only to have her jerk away. "Oh, you're coming with me young lady!"

"My ass I am!" Persia used her feet hand to aim an electrokinetic bolt at the ceiling, causing a large chunk of plaster to come falling down at Paige.

Just before Paige orbed out, she saw her niece's eyes flash a hot yellow. The plaster fell through her orbs, landing with a thud on the ground. No doubt, had she not moved, it would have knocked her out…or worse.

Prue cradled the little girl in her arms as Leo healed her. At the sound of chanting, she whipped her head around just in time to see Persia disappear in a swathe of dark purple flitting lights.

"Mommy?" The little girl's horse voice brought Prue's attention back to her.

"No sweetie, I'm not-"

"Where's my mommy!"

"Was she here?"

The pigtailed child nodded fiercely, as Leo went to heal her twin brother.

Prue's heart skipped a beat. "Where?" She lowered the child to the floor and began to wave her hand through the smoky air.

The little girl pointed to a corner of the room. "I saw her over there last."

"Leo."

"The boy," the whitelighter protested.

Prue moved across the room, before spotting a crooked form at its edge. She motioned her hand, bringing the limp woman to her. The sight made her stomach turn. She reached out, carefully touching the woman's wrist. "A pulse. Leo! Leo, get over here! She doesn't have much time!"

Leo moved hesitantly from the four-year-old boy, hoping desperately that he'd healed him enough to sustain him until he could get back to him. As he neared Prue, he turned his head away in disgust. "Oh god." He touched her darkened skin and a golden glow erupted instantaneously. Looking to his sister-in-law he asked, "Persia did all this?"

"I think so." Prue touched her stomach. "Glenn said he saw one of Phae's premonitions. He said she killed someone." The telekinetic wasn't sure who, but her gut told her that had she and Paige gotten there a moment later, three people would have been dead instead of one.

"Dear Goddess!"

Prue whipped her head around, seeing her baby sister kneeling over the young boy.

Paige pulled the sandy haired boy into her arms. Blood smeared her snow white arms as she carried him over to her sister. "I can't believe she did this!"

Prue curled his fists. "It wasn't Persia," she hissed. "It was James. Persia would never do something like this! It had to of been a potion. Probably the same orange smoke I saw when he took her from the bathroom."

"But still-"

"But nothing! She's our niece, damnit!"

"If she kills an innocent, Prue, it won't matter whether or not she was under a spell! The Elders will see differently!" Leo argued.

"Well then we'll just have to stop her before she hurts anyone else, won't we?" A gasp drew Prue's attention back to their innocent. She waved her hand, promptly settling the woman back on her feet.

"Where are my children?"

"It's okay," Paige promised. "We've got them." She handed off the boy to Leo, who began to finish up the work he'd already started.

"Mommy!"

The little girl flew past Paige, right into her mother's arms.

"Thank god," the woman breathed. She clutched her daughter. A stream of thankful tears poured from the corners of her eyes. "Who are you people?"

Paige shared a look with her older sister. She replied quietly, "Just protectors of the innocent."

"Here," Leo whispered softly. He handed off the boy to his mother. "He's perfectly fine now."

"Thank you." Her eyes flicked to the hallway, fearfully. "Do you know who that-that monster was?"

"We have no idea," Prue replied in all truthfulness.

_**TO BE CONTINUED….**_


	34. Like A Witch Scorned

A/N: Ross and Peanut, this chapter should explain why Glenn was with Phae and not Andy. ;)

_**Change Happens**_

_**Chapter 34: Like A Witch Scorned**_

"She's blocking me," Paige spoke. The whitelighter pulled her hands away from the sides of her head. "I think she cast a spell or something."

"How do you know James doesn't have her again?"

"Every time I try to sense her, I feel like my hitting a magical brick wall. I can't really explain it any better, but I'm sure she's blocking me."

"Damnit!"

"What if we try Phae again?"

"No!" Prue wagged her finger angrily. "I won't let my daughter see something like Glenn described again."

"But if we don't, an innocent might die, Prue! And with that person, will go Persia's own innocence."

"Paige-"

"We've got no other choice. This is your daughter's gift, Prue. You can't protect her from it." Paige moved out of the kitchen without waiting for her sister's response. She knew she was right, no matter what Prue had to say.

----

"Is she okay?" Glenn stood awkwardly in the doorway.

"She hasn't stopped crying," Andy sighed. He rubbed his daughter's back in soothing circles.

"I'm sorry," Glenn sighed. "I never meant-"

"It's not your fault." Andy began to pace. "You can't control her powers. She can't control her powers."

"But if I hadn't told her-"

"You only would've prolonged her suffering." Andy seated himself in a wooden rocking chair. "She's too young to tell us what she sees and what's going on, but that doesn't stop her visions from coming. And I think she was afraid to share them with you, but when you coxed her…"

Glenn bowed his head, still feeling awful for knowing that his niece had been forced to see such gruesome images. They'd made him sick to his stomach. He could only imagine how she felt.

"I should've been there for you."

"You can't blame yourself, Andy. You thought Pandora was your primary concern. And I would have too. I mean, you were right. She was the one suffering from the thoughts she'd got from James. You needed to comfort her, and at the time, Phae seemed fine."

Andy shook his head. "But I shouldn't have pawned her off on you. I mean, she's my daughter!"

"You didn't pawn her. I was glad to help. And you were only trying to help your other daughter the best you could, by giving her your full attention." Glenn edged towards Andy. "How is Pandora?"

"Confused," the Inspector admitted. "She's sleeping right now."

"Maybe you should go-"

"Andy, we need Phae."

"What?" Andy looked up, disbelieving. "For what?"

"To find Persia."

The Inspector's blue eyes swelled. "Absolutely not!"

"Andy, this is the only way."

"No!"

"Don't make me-"

"Use your powers on me?" He jumped to his feet and curled his arms protectively around the infant. "You sound just like Prue." He moved to the window, shaking his head. "You can't take her. I won't let you. Your powers don't scare me, Paige."

"Andy, you don't understand!"

"No, Paige, you don't understand! Magic has taken so much from my life."

"And it hasn't given anything back?" The youngest challenged. "If it wasn't for magic, you wouldn't be here today."

"If it wasn't for magic, I never would've died in the first place."

"Agh! Andy, damnit!" Paige threw her arms in the air. "I feel like I'm hitting my head against a damn brick wall!" To her horror, the mortal Inspector began to glow a bright yellow. "Oh no! No, no, no! I didn't mean…"

As the yellow glow began to fade around Andrew Trudeau, his body was replaced by a wall of red and brown bricks. The child in his arms fell towards the ground.

"Bassinet!" Paige shrieked, waving her arm in a Prue-like fashion. In a burst of orbs, the bassinet appeared beneath the falling child just in time, catching her within its blanketed center.

"Oh my god," Glenn breathed. He moved up behind his wife cautiously. "What have you done?"

----

Persia lifted her eyes above the edge of the newspaper that was covering her face. She was keeping track of a small magic shop across the street. The witch glanced down at the watch on her wrist: 11:58 A.M. She frowned as she spied the last customer still poking around at the back of the store. Then her line of vision was cut off, as she saw the store owner close the blinds on her way to talk to the customer.

"Time to go," she smirked. Her head flicked around. Nobody seemed to be watching her, so she set down the newspaper on the small café table and strode across the street, heading for the front door of the shop, The Witches' Altar. As she placed her foot onto the edge of the sidewalk, she saw the last customer vacate the building. No sooner had he done so, did she see the store owner placed 'Gone for Lunch' sign on the front door.

Persia hurried her pace, making it to the door just as the woman turned to head into the back room. She grabbed the door handle and pulled impatiently. Even through the glass door she heard the small sound of jingles as the door shook. She saw the woman turn around and wave her hand, but the electrokinetic persisted. Finally, to her pleasure, the clerk returned and opened the door her for.

"I'm sorry," the woman said sweetly, "but we're closed until one."

"I don't think you understand," Persia replied. She jabbed the toe of her shoe between the door and then held up her hand. Neon yellow jolts of energy danced from her fingers.

"W-what d-do you want?" The clerk stuttered, backing away from the witch slowly.

"Your life." Persia wedged herself through the door and stomped her foot, igniting the floor with electricity. She watched with glee as the woman jumped and screeched in response. "It gives shock therapy a whole new meaning, doesn't it?" She thrust out her hand, sending a yellow bolt at the woman.

The clerk jerked to the side, narrowly missing being struck in the chest. But it singed her side, instantly causing blood to seep from her body and form a rapidly growing red circle on her clothing. She staggered behind a shelf of magic books. The clerk clutched her bloody side. "Help! Help!"

Persia blasted the book shelf, reducing it to a mound of crusted black wood and flitting pieces of ashen pages. Some of them even on fire. "I notice you're not fighting back," she commented. "What's your power?"

The clerk scrambled to her feet, darting for the back room of the shop. Small drops of blood left a red trail behind her.

Persia arched her hand, using a yellow bolt to blast the edge of the wall leading into the backroom. The shop shook via the explosion, and when the smoke cleared, the eldest Charmed offspring found her victim lying face down in the rubble.

----

Pandora awoke with a start. She scrambled out of her bed. "Mommy! Daddy!" Her little legs were carrying her as fast as they could, running her towards her baby sister's bedroom. "Daddy!" She nearly toppled into her Uncle Glenn as he exited the room, followed by her Aunt Paige.

"What's wrong, honey?" Glenn asked, scooping the child into his arms.

The witchlette pushed a rumpled strand of black hair from in front of her eyes. "I know whewes Persia is."

Paige blinked. "What?"

"I heawd da bad ideaws," the telepath explained. She reached blindly for Paige's hand. "Come wif me."

Paige looked to her husband, who nodded, and then took her niece's hand. "Where is she, honey?"

"Just owb," Pandora replied confidently. "I lockeded my mind wif hew."

Paige shook her head, amazed at her niece's telepathic ability. "Okay." She scooped the little girl into her arms and orbed out, just as Prue came flying around the corner.

----

Persia swirled her hands together, readying herself for the deathly blow to the next person on her father's list. She aimed her hands and then let loose her power. But as the cackling bolts neared the woman's pale skin, just centimeters away, they began to glow a bright yellow and then transform into a pile of flowers. Persia clenched her fists. "No!"

"You've done good, baby girl." Paige kissed the top of Pandora's head lovingly.

Persia whirled around in a fit of rage. She threw her arms up towards the ceiling, and her hair began to fly wildly at its ends. The air around her crackled with unadulterated electrokinetic energy. And then a small trickle of crimson liquid fled her nose.

"Shit!" Paige cursed. Her hand flung out, and the body of her innocent vanished in a swirl of orbs. As her head craned upwards, she saw the plaster of the ceiling slowly chipping away. A huge zigzagging crack was forming, and Paige knew what was coming. Just as the tip of a neon yellow bolt pierced through the white plaster, Paige vanished with her niece. The bolt ripped through her orbs a split second later.

The electric's legs rattled as the lightning bolt vanished, leaving nothing but destruction in its wake. She'd failed again. "All thanks to the Charmed Ones," she growled. She strode across the debris. Glass cracked under her feet. She moved to the front door.

Every window on the front of the shop had blown outwards. She moved out of the door, not even bothering to open it as there was no longer glass keeping her from moving directly through. She spied her father's Porsche two parking lots away, and made a mad dash for it.

At the same time Paige's own orbs appeared, bringing her and Pandora back to a solid state, so did the orbs of their innocent. She bolted across the room, sensing a crowd of people was coming towards the shop. She wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. Paige reached her innocent, checked for a pulse, and then orbed the three of them away.

Just outside the shop, a crowd of people gathered. All of whom were wondering what had happened inside of The Witches' Altar. Some stood with their mouths agape. Some dared to move nearer to the wrecked doors. One mother stood at the edge of the crowd, pulling her children close.

"What happened?"

"Did a bomb go off?"

"I'm calling the police!"

----

James tapped his foot relentlessly. "You said he'd be here. Where is he?"

The rat demon's red eyes flickered. "He'll be here soon."

"I think you're lying."

The demon folded his arms, staring cautiously at the witch. "Would you like to test that theory?"

"Are you threatening me?" James held out his hand and flames danced on the tips of his fingers.

The demon seemed to shrink back into the darkness of the Underworld cavern. "No," he replied lightly. "I'm just saying, if you want to leave now, you're free to. But if you do, you run the chance of vanquishing yourself."

"How so?"

"I already told you-"

"Well tell me again!"

"My Alchemist almost couldn't bring you back. He can only bring back something of so much power, and you were a stretch for him. But after you left, he continued to study your molecular structure, and he found it unstable. So he created a potion, one that needs to be regularly taken, in order to ensure your stability."

"And why isn't he here?"

"I don't know," the rat demon confessed. "He was still here when I left to get you."

A silver outline appeared in the darkness, forming the sparkling outline of a male form. It instantly filled with a bright silver glow, and then disappeared to leave behind the Alchemist that had previously revived James Kline.

"Where have you been!" The witch growled.

"I was needed in another part of the Underworld," the Alchemist replied dismissively. He reached into his vest pocket and retrieved a clear vial filled with cerulean liquid. "Here," he snapped. "The first one's on the house. The next one, however…"

James grabbed the potion eagerly, and drunk it down. "Now, what do you mean about the next one?"

"I don't work for free," the Alchemist replied.

"What are you proposing?"

The Alchemist touched his triple six pendant. "I want powers. Bring me powers in exchange for your next potion." He touched the side of his face. "Which you'll need in about twenty-four hours."

James shared a daring look with the Alchemist, before turning on his heel. "I have things to do," he snapped. The cavern was illuminated with a bright red glow, and then he was gone.

The Alchemist smirked with confidence. "He'll be back."

----

"She what!" Piper burst into Phaelinna's room, staring at the brick wall that was formally Andy Trudeau. Her eyes bugged. "Where is she?"

Glenn shrugged his shoulders helplessly. "She left with Pandora."

"Does Prue know?"

"No."

Piper moved cautiously to the door, and glanced about the hall. "Good," she whispered, "keep it that way."

As she left, Glenn moved to the door and shut it. He shook his head hopelessly as he turned back to his bricked friend. The mortal collected his niece from the bassinet, and began to rock her thoughtfully. "Don't worry, buttercup, we're gonna fix daddy up real soon."

----

Persia stood cautiously at the closed door of her father's bedroom. Her eyes were glowing a vicious electric yellow, and the veins along her arms and neck seemed to pop as she blistered with anger. The bright yellow vanished from her eyes as she reached out for the gold handle of the door. Throwing it open, she stepped inside, not expecting what lay before her.

On the bed, Phoebe Halliwell lay near naked. Her arms were being held against the black sheets with harsh force, and her limp legs were spread wide across the lower half of the bed. She wore nothing but a lacy, dark purple bra.

James, on the other hand, lay atop his ex-girlfriend. He, too, was near naked. And apparently he hadn't noticed the opened door, because he was too busy applying rough kisses to Phoebe's flat stomach. Slowly, he was moving down her body as she struggled against his powerful form.

Persia's mouth dropped into a half open circle. She staggered slightly. Her mind was becoming clearer. The golden specks in her eyes flickered as she stared at her father's rhythmic movements.

_**----Flashback----**_

"_W-w-why is the l-l-l-l-limie all da way ov-v-v-ver here?" The electrokinetic slurred, as Dane led her to the back of the school where it was nearly pitch dark by now, except for the light of the full moon._

"_Because," Dane replied without a real answer. He opened the door of the limo and nudged her inside._

"_Wh-where's the driv-v-v-ver?"_

"_Gone," Dane replied as he shoved his way in next to her and shut the door, locking it behind him._

"_Dane, w-wh-what's goin' on?" Persia mumbled._

"_What do you think?" Dane asked, a wicked grin appearing on his face as he pressed his lips tightly to her's._

"_Dane!" The Halliwell cried, shoving uselessly at her date._

_Dane grabbed the witch by the arms and shoved her down onto the back seat, crawling on top of her._

"_D-Dane," Persia whimpered. "Wh-what did y-y-you do to m-me?"_

"_I just gave you a little something to relax you," Dane replied as he slipped off his jacket while still sitting atop Persia and keeping her pinned to the seat. "You weren't too receptive of me and I knew if I just gave you a little something, you'd loosen up." He slid the tie off from around his neck. "I was right," he said as he bent down and kissed her roughly on the lips._

_Persia's eyes darted back and forth in panic. Her limbs were becoming more and more numb by the moment and she couldn't think clearly. Everything in her line of vision was becoming a blur. "N-no.."_

"_Yes," Dane said as he began to unbutton his dress shirt._

"_D-Dane.."_

"_That's right," Dane grinned wickedly. He tossed his white dress shirt to the ground only to reveal a muscular, tanned chest. He slid his body down to Persia's and planted a series of rough kisses across her neck._

"_P-please!" The wary witch pleaded. "N-no!"_

"_You wanted this, Persia Halliwell. You accepted to go out with me," Dane whispered as he slid his body further down her's and pulled her upper body upright, sliding his hands around to her back and unzipping the back of her dress._

_Persia could feel her mind numbing further, but she could still hear Dane's voice and the sound of the zipper on her dress coming to a stop at the end of her dress. She couldn't feel her legs anymore. "Dane, no!"_

"_Shh, just enjoy it, okay?"" Dane slid her the bodice of her dress away, leaving her strapless bra to Dane's lustful eyes. He licked his lips and leaned in, dotting her lean stomach with rough kisses._

_Persia cringed at the feel of his lips against her bare stomach and clamped her eyes shut, knowing that his eyes were roaming her bust. "H-help!" She yelled, knowing that it was useless._

"_Shh!" Dane hissed, flinging a hand into her face and leaving behind a bright red hand imprint on the side of her left cheek. He slid off his prey and gently, lustfully, slid off the skirt of her Prom dress to expose a white slip. A sick expression of glee appeared on his face as he ran a hot, sweaty hand across a bare part of her leg and began to slide his hand up under her slip and up to her thigh, where he gently massaged her upper thigh. Then he pulled his hand back and began to unbutton his pants._

_Persia could feel her mind slowing even further now, her waist and stomach were now too numb to feel as well. Thinking was like trying to move through a pool of freezing cold honey. "H-help!" She screamed again, only to be slapped across the other side of her face. Her fingers flexed, releasing a jet of neon yellow energy right into Dane's leg._

_Dane screamed in pain as he jumped back. He'd been too busy removing his clothing to realize what had happened, thinking that it was some sort of really powerful form of static electricity. He straddled the witch, running his tongue across his lips and leaning across her body, forming a suction between his mouth and Persia's. Then he allowed his tongue to roam her mouth, longingly._

_Persia tried to scream out, on the verge of blacking out. With her last ounce of consciousness, she released a high voltage stream of electricity. The neon yellow blast blasted the limo door, shattering the glass and sending the door flying off its hinges._

_**----Flashback----**_

Persia shrieked. Her mind had been freed from the magic of James' earlier potion.

The sound caught his attention, and his head spun around to meet the gaze of his daughter. "Persia," he choked, clearly caught off guard.

"You bastard!" The electrokinetic screamed. Her hands laced together and she pushed them out in front of her. They began to sizzle with electricity, forming a blinding yellow bolt. As it ejected her hands, its sheer force repelled her in the opposing direction. The last thing she saw as she hit the wall was a catastrophic explosion.

_**TO BE CONTINUED….**_


	35. Rat A Tat Tat Demons

A/N: I take it FFN was being, well, FFN. Or not very many people liked the last chapter. Well, I would like to say that this chapter is the last of this subplot, and because of that, there is a lot of fluff at the end (I hope you don't mind). So yeah, I hope you enjoy!

_**Change Happens**_

**_Chapter 35: Rat A Tat Tat Demons_**

"Phoebe!" Cole placed his hand over his nose and mouth in a futile attempt to keep away the toxic gases from the smoke. He'd been all over the Underworld and back in an angry rage. He'd vanquished several demons in the process. But the fruitful moment came as he badgered a young Oracle, who had suddenly seen a vast explosion just before Cole had been ready to incinerate her.

"C-Cole?"

The half demon jolted across the dark remains, making his way to a pile of wooden and partially burnt debris. He could see a bloody arm sticking out of the wreckage, and as his eyes roamed further, he saw the head of his wife. She was buried to the neck under debris. He choked. "Phoebe?"

Cole Turner held out his hand. The air above his palm sizzled with electric yellow pulses, as a demonic ball of energy formed. He hurled the sphere into the pile, blasting it to bits in order to reveal the pull body of his wife. He growled in anger and pain.

He knelt down and removed the black suit jacket he was wearing. Carefully, he wrapped it around his wife's nude form and pulled her into his arms. "It's gonna be alright," he whispered into her ear. "We're going to get you back to Leo."

"C-Cole," Phoebe choked. A small trail of blood fled her pale lips.

"Don't speak."

"B-but P-ersia," the psychic protested.

"Where is she?"

Phoebe lifted her weak arm, which was draped slightly around her lover's neck. "O-ver th-there."

Cole's eyes shifted to the opposing end of the room. The wall had caved in, and from the billowing smoke, he couldn't see a thing. "I'll be back for her, I promise." He kissed his wife's forehead as he shimmered away.

----

"I've got something!" Prue flicked her head about. "Where's Paige?"

Piper moved her head up. "Paige!" She placed her hands around her mouth. "Paige!"

Suddenly Prue shook her head. "No time!" Her head dropped limply to her chest at the precise moment that the scrying crystal fell from her loose fingertips.

Piper moved to her limp sister's side, and touched the area on the San Francisco map with her index finger. "Where have I seen this place before?" She squinted, trying to piece together a memory long since passed. Then her eyes flashed wide. "That's right near Quake!" Her head bobbed backwards. "Leo!"

----

"Persia!" Astral Prue cupped her mouth, calling for her niece. "Persia Halliwell!" She squinted her eyes, creating a barrier of telekinetic energy and used it to send away the smoke. She saw no sign of James, nor her sister. But what did catch her blue eye was the leg that poked out from a pile of plaster. Had she not moved away the smoke, she never would've seen it.

The astral projection ran across the smoky room and waved her hand, moving away the burning white plaster. She dropped to her knees, touching the side of her niece's white face. As she removed her hand, she saw that gooey red blood covered it. She gasped.

Persia's arms hung loosely at her sides, while her hair was clumped together by thick red liquid. It spread out in a wide circle around her head, contrasting sharply with the burnt wreckage around it. Her golden speckled eyes were frozen wide in shock, and her lips were still parted in a partial circle.

Out of the corner of her eye, Astral Prue made out the soft glow of her brother-in-law's orbs. She gave a small squeak of relief as she saw her sister and Leo emerge from the twinkling blue and white lights. "Hurry," she choked, "she doesn't have much time!"

Leo staggered a little as he neared his niece. Flashes of Prue entered his mind, turning to look at his wife, he saw the same look of horror in her eyes. He moved to Persia's side and placed his hands to her head, creating a soft golden glow which spread over her massive head wound. In a mere matter of minutes, the pool reversed its glow and pulled back into her head. Leo gave a breath of relief as his niece sputtered to life.

"Thank god!" Piper whispered, dropping to her knees to hug her niece.

Astral Prue stroked Persia's golden-brown hair. "I'll see you at home." She blinked back salty beads, and vanished in a red flare of color.

"Where's mom?"

"She was here?"

Persia nodded. "I saw her…with him…just before I blasted him."

"You did this?" Piper gaped.

"We haven't seen him."

Persia's face blanched. "What if he still has her?"

----

"What're you doing?" Pam crossed her arms as she leaned in the doorway of her little cousin's bedroom.

Pandora pulled her hands from her head. "Someones else."

"What're you talking about?"

"Mow demons."

"Who?"

"Wed eyes."

"Red eyes?" Pam squinted. She grabbed her cousin's wrist. "Take me to them."

"Pam…" The telepath seemed to shrink back, frightened of the idea.

"Hide us then." Her voice softened. "I just want to see."

Pandora sniffled. "Okays." She wiped her nose on her sleeve. "Simmer me." No sooner had the words left her mouth, did her body dissolve into her elder cousin's demonic shimmers.

----

Prue gasped as her head bobbed up. Hearing shuffling behind her, she whipped around to see Pearl, Cole, and Phoebe behind her. "Phoebe?" She nearly fell out of her chair as she scrambled to her sister. "Are you okay?"

"Prue." Phoebe tossed her arms around her big sister, hugging her with everything she had. Tears streamed down her face. She was thankful to simply be alive. "We have to find Persia," she wheezed.

"Persia's fine," the telekinetic assured. "She should be back with Piper and Leo any minute." Prue pursed her lips. "What about…"

"I don't know," the psionic admitted. "He left during the explosion."

"I'm gonna find that bastard and I'm gonna kill him!" Cole's face was contorted into a scarlet rage. He was unconsciously clenching his knuckles so hard that the bones appeared to be barely contained by the outer flesh.

A cloud of blue orbs descended from the ceiling, forming into three figures. Leo had his arm around his niece's shoulders, and his hand entwined with Piper's. His eyes seemed to bug. "Phoebe?"

Wordlessly, Piper ran to her sisters and joined them in the warm embrace. "Thank goodness," she sobbed into Phoebe's shoulders. "I was afraid I'd lost you."

Phoebe gently patted her sister's arm. "I'm fine." She squirmed from their grasp, moving slowly towards her eldest daughter. "Persia? Are you…I mean, is everything…"

"I'm fine," the electrokinetic replied automatically. She breezed past her mother and moved directly towards the Book of Shadows. "How do you vanquish him?"

"It requires a Power of Four spell," Phoebe explained.

"Where's Aunt Paige?"

"I'll go get her," the eldest offered. She moved from the room quickly. Her heart was pounding against her rib cage. She wanted nothing more than to vanquish James Kline as soon as humanly, or rather inhumanly, possible.

"What're you planning to do?"

Persia flicked through the yellowed pages without answer, until finally coming to a very familiar spell. "I'll need-"

"I know what you need," Piper said knowingly. She knew that spell all too well. "I'll be right back."

"The spell to call a lost witch," Phoebe murmured. "Piper used that to try and summon Prue after we thought she died the first time." To her, it seemed almost wrong to use the spell that had brought Paige to them, to find James. But then again, technically he was a witch, and technically it should work. _Unless he's protecting himself._ She touched her daughter's shoulder. _But she wounded him pretty badly._

"Is the vanquishing spell all you need?"

"No." Phoebe moved to a small chest and produced a box of school chalk. She knelt to the ground and proceeded to draw a massive Triquetra on the hardwood floor. "The last time we killed him, we used this." She pocketed the chalk as she finished, and stepped back to admire her work. She brushed her hands, allowing the soft white powder to fill the air and tickle her nose.

"Pheebs. Thank Goddess!" Paige threw her arms around Phoebe as she entered the room, just heels ahead of Prue.

"I've got it," Piper announced. She stood in the doorway with a metal bowl filled with crushed spell ingredients. She set the bowl on a small table near the middle of the room. "It requires your blood, though."

"I know." Persia seated herself at the table and held her hand over the metal bowl.

Piper hesitantly handed an athame to her niece.

"Power of the witches' rise. Course unseen across the skies. Come to us who call you near. Come to us and settle here." The Child of Light calmly took the athame and sliced the tip of her finger, drawing forth several drops of blood into the pot. "Blood to blood, I summon thee. Blood to blood, return to me."

The air instantly chilled the room, followed by a particularly vicious gust of wind. It began to whirl and spin into a large funnel. In fact, it was even forceful enough to send the metal bowl flying off the table. From within the core of the funnel, a shape began to materialize. A man. A witch.

James Kline appeared, bringing a chilling silence along with him. His hair was singed, and his bare chest was marked with a long, zigzagging scar from the monstrous bolt that Persia had conjured. His eyes were glowing a menacing red.

Just as they had about eleven years earlier, the sisters got into position. Prue, Piper, and Phoebe took stances on the three outer arcs of the chalk drawn Triquetra, whilst Paige assumed her place within its hidden center.

James narrowed his eyes and flames billowed into the open air, heading straight for the Charmed sister. Flicking his arm, another stream of red-orange darted at Phoebe, in particular.

Prue's blue eyes became a familiar squint as the first burst halted inches before her face and reversed.

A split second later, Phoebe took to the air as the second blast billowed towards her. As she turned in the air, she saw Paige orb out, and then the flames came to a halt as she watched Piper throw up her hands. The psychic descended.

"I've got this!" Cole growled, having had enough of James' antics. He lunged at the witch from behind, bringing them both to the ground. His hands curled into fists and he began to beat the muscular man with more brutality than Phoebe had ever seen before.

At the first sign of Paige's reappearing orbs, Piper flicked her wrists again. The fire blast went up in a dark black explosion, causing her to fall into a small fit of coughs. She squinted her eyes went she felt Paige's hand on her shoulder. "Let's get this over with!" She held out her hands, beckoning her sisters to join her. When she felt a cold wind blow her hair back, she knew they'd all found a way to interlock, just like before.

Feeling the wind, Persia also neared the bloody scene in front of them. "Dad."

Cole froze. His face was splattered with blood, as were his fists and clothing. He craned his neck, staring at his step-daughter. _Is she under his spell again?_

James sniggered, taking the moment to ram his fists into Cole's stomach and send him flying across the room. "I knew she'd come back to me!" He staggered to his full height and approached the Child of Light. "Persia," he crooned. "It's time to join me."

Persia neared the bloody witch, extending her hand. "I know." Her hand fit perfectly within her father's blood covered one. As one, they turned towards her aunts and mother.

"Kill them."

The electrokinetic held out a sparking hand, aiming directly for Prue. "Not a chance!"

"Agh!" James' body began to emit violent yellow sparks.

Persia yanked her hand away from his, ceasing the electric attack. "Go to hell!" Her electric bolt entered through his stomach and exited his back, forcing him to come in contact with the attack wall. "Now!"

"With the Power of Four, you are no more!"

Blood trickled from the side of the pyro's mouth. His eyes bugged from his head. "H-how could you?" They were locked on his daughter.

"With the Power of Four, you are no more!"

Persia didn't bother to answer. She simply held his gaze as she continued her electric assault.

"With the Power of Four, you are no more!"

Flames leapt from James Kline's body. Like a tornado, they spun around him angrily.

Cole moved to his step-daughter's side, and wrapped his arms around her in the way only a true father could.

"With the Power of Four, you are no more!"

The skin melted from his face, leaving only glowing bone under it. And with a cataclysmic explosion, his body tore in every direction possible. Blood spewed across the walls and flames charred everything in sight.

Cole hugged Persia as he turned her away from the vanquish, shielding her body with his own. Although he knew she'd never admit it, he was positive he heard a soft whimper under the roar of the explosion.

----

Glenn jumped at the sound of a picture frame crashing to the floor. It was of Andy, Prue, Pandora, and Phae at the hospital, just the day after Phae's birth. His eyes lifted to the door, knowing that the cause of the Manor rattling like that had to of been the vanquish they'd all been after. He cringed a little.

As the mortal knelt down to collect the glass that had fallen, he winced as a piece pierced his finger. A small drop of blood instantly pooled from the cut, and he dabbed it on his jeans.

"What're you doing?"

"Did you vanquish him?"

"Yes."

"I think the explosion knocked the picture off the wall." Glenn shook the picture free of the broken glass, holding it up for Paige to see. "It shook the entire house."

"Sorry." Paige moved to her husband and leaned her head onto his shoulder.

"Where's Prue?"

"Checking on Pandora." Paige glanced at the wall of bricks that was her brother-in-law. "I came to change him back."

"How're you planning on explaining the time difference."

"I don't know. I just want to focus on changing him back." Paige turned promptly to the bricks. "Andy." She squinted when nothing happened. "Andy!" Again, no result.

Glenn moved his arms around her slender waist. "Calm down. Take a deep breath." As she did so, he gently stroked the side of her cheek. Then he took her arm in his, entwined their fingers, and pointed to the brick wall. "Now turn him back."

Closing her brown eyes she whispered, "Andy." When she opened them again, she found her brother-in-law in the flesh.

Andy stumbled forth. "What the hell?" He blinked several times, trying to clear his mind. "Ph-Phae. Phae! Where is she?"

"She's fine," Glenn assured. He flicked his hand towards the sleeping infant in the bassinet.

"What happened?"

Paige crossed her arms. "It's a long story," she sighed.

"Paige."

"Look, Andy, please. Just trust me. Everything's taken care of."

"Did Piper freeze me?"

"No."

Andy glared. "Glenn," he said suddenly, "do I even want to know?"

Glenn snickered. "I doubt it."

The door creaked open before Andy could reply, revealing the figures of Prue and Pandora.

"Daddy," the telepath smiled. She ran from her mother to her father and threw her arms around his leg, hugging him with all her tiny might.

Andy scooped his little girl into his arms and nuzzled her cheek. "I'm sorry about your birthday, muffin."

Pandora nodded understandingly. "T'okay."

Prue moved to the bassinet and stared lovingly at her child. As much as she wanted to collect the pink bundle from the bed, she knew that the momentary peace was far more important. "How've things been up here?"

The mortal men exchanged glances.

"Is there something I should know?" Prue placed her hands on her hips.

"Nope." To further silence her, he quickly pecked her lips.

"I think we should go," Glenn announced. He edged his wife to the door, winking thankfully at his friend.

Unbeknownst to Paige and Prue, Andy winked back.

----

"Dad?" Pam poked her head into Persia's room. Behind her back, she curled her fists in jealousy. She hated seeing her father with Persia. After all, he was her dad, not Persia's.

"Yes?"

Persia dabbed her nose with a tissue as she eyed her half sister. "What's up, kiddo?"

"I just wanted to give my dad a hug," Pamela replied.

"Pam."

"What?" The Blessed One shrugged her shoulders as she walked to her father. "Are you okay?"

Cole frowned. "I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"Just because." Pam climbed onto the bed and wrapped her arms around her father. "You seemed sad."

Persia narrowed her eyes, sensing something strange going on. "Are you okay, Pam?"

"Fine," the little girl snapped. "I'm, uh, gonna go back to the Manor."

Cole furrowed his brow. "Are you sure you're feeling alright?"

"Yep." The witch-demon flashed a toothy smile at her father and darted from the room, shutting the door behind her. Once safely outside the door, she held out her hand. A neon yellow energy ball crackled above her palm. Then she, energy ball and all, shimmered out.

----

Piper shook her head in dismay. "I can't believe this happened again."

"It wasn't your fault."

"I know. But still." She threw her hands into the air. "We can't even have normal birthday parties! Leo, how awful is that? I can't even throw my niece a happy birthday."

The whitelighter kissed the top of her head. "Do you want me to help clean up?"

Piper pursed her lips. "I'm half tempted to use that spell Paige likes to much."

"The objection one?"

"Yeah," Piper nodded. "That's it." She placed her hand on her hip. "But I won't, if only to avoid further consequences." She suddenly bit her lip. "Leo?"

"Hmm?"

"There's still one thing we haven't figured out."

"And that is?"

"How he came back."

Leo scratched his head. "Do you want me to go ask The Elders?"

"Yeah," the witch replied distantly. "I guess. Yes." As her husband orbed out, she moved to the now cooled hunk of plastic that was formally her refrigerator. "Let the object of objection become but a dream, as I cause the seen to be unseen." She watched with delight as white spheres engulfed the fridge and returned it to its former glory.

----

Pamela Turner stepped out from behind the boulder she'd appeared behind. The glowing yellow energy ball still heavy above her palm.

"We should attack the sisters now, while they're vulnerable and believe that they've vanquished their true foe." The voice belonged to a rat demon with inky black eyes and Jaundice skin. His graying, thin hair was slicked back on his otherwise bald head.

"I still say we should've attacked earlier, as planned."

"Well we can't do that now, can we?"

"It would have never worked anyway! The remaining sisters were working too closely with each other. We never would've stood a chance."

The African American rat demon raised his arm, silencing the rest of the fussy pack. "We'll go now!"

"Agh!" The Jaundice skinned demon howled as his body erupted in flames, vanquishing him instantly.

Pamela instantly felt all the piercing red and black eyes on her. She smiled arrogantly, producing another stolen energy ball.

"What do we have here?"

"A Charmed child."

Pam tossed the energy ball, again hitting another of the pack and killing him.

"Kill her," the dark skinned leader ordered. His eyes glittered as the Blessed child slaughtered another of his rat pack, and then another. "No! I'll kill her!" He lunged at the child, grabbing for her ankles only to have her shimmer from his grasp.

----

Persia slunk into her pillows as her step-father slipped out of her room. Once his footsteps had faded away, she placed her hand to the golden locket on her neck. She needed someone to talk to right now, and not just anybody would do. Her hands moved around her neck, unclasping the golden necklace and catching it in her palm.

The witch laid the necklace on the bed and simply admired it for several moments. She briefly wondered what Pamela Walker was doing in the alternate world. Slowly, she moved her hands to the locket and pried it open. To her dismay, nothing appeared. "Pam?" She tapped her fingers as the seconds ticked away. "Pamela?"

Little did Persia Halliwell know that at the time, Pamela Walker wasn't even herself. In fact, she was being controlled by a government devise that had been implanted into her body. It was something that Persia could have never known about, because in her world, sub-dermal governors didn't exist.

Sighing, the electrokinetic closed the locket and placed it back around her neck. "I'm sure she's just indisposed at the moment," she assured herself. It was what she wanted to believe, anyway. That perhaps Pamela Walker was in one of her journalism classes and couldn't be disturbed by a magic locket. Her thoughts, however, were disturbed by a rough knock at her door.

"Who is it?"

"Tyler."

Momentarily forgetting about her woes, she said, "Come in." The witch couldn't help but allow herself a small smile. She always loved Tyler's company.

"Hey."

"Hey." She patted a spot beside her on her bed, beckoning the Firestarter to come sit by her. "What's up?"

"I was hoping to ask you that."

"Oh?"

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay," the blonde admitted sheepishly. "You seemed a little upset when you left the Manor earlier."

"It's nothing."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded.

Tyler frowned. "Are you sure I can't weasel it out of you over, oh I don't know, chocolate ice cream?"

The Child of Light pursed her lips. "Mmm. I dunno. You payin'?"

"Maybe…"

The electric witch slipped off her bed. "Okay," she grinned, "just let me get my purse."

Tyler smirked. "I'll meet you in the car," he informed as he left the room.

----

Pam Turner folded her arms. She stood proudly in the center of the Underworld cave, surrounded by dark scorch marks. The little witch-demon had achieved what her Phoebe, Piper, and Paige couldn't. She'd killed off an entire pack of rat demons single handedly.

The child spun around with wide eyes. She may have killed them off, but she knew there was one thing that she'd missed. "Where are you?" She called into the open air. She received no response. "I know you were working with them! I saw you when I came with Pandora." She crossed her arms.

Who he was, she wasn't certain. But something in the back of her mind was telling her that he'd helped the rat demons bring back Persia's father. "I'll find you," she growled vehemently. "And I'm gonna vanquish you. That's a promise." She conducted another three-sixty sweep of the room, and then shimmered out mid stride.

Several seconds later, the silver silhouette of the Alchemist appeared. His face bore a small scowl and his arms were folded over his chest. "Not if I find you first, Miss Turner."

----

Piper was beginning to unravel the knot of her bathrobe when she left strong hands on her shoulders. "Hey there."

"I thought you were cleaning up?"

"I decided I needed a cleansing shower," Piper admitted sorrowfully. "It's been a long day." She twirled in Leo's arms. "Did you find anything?"

Leo shook his head. "They think an Alchemist was responsible for his return, but they can't be for sure. And if they're right, they can't pinpoint it. There are Alchemists all over the Underworld."

"So our hands are tied?"

"Pretty much."

"What's to stop him from bringing James back again?"

"James was a powerful witch," Leo explained. "If an Alchemist did bring him back, it'll be a long time before he'll be able to do it again. It's very draining for them."

"I see." Piper pulled open the shower door and slipped her foot inside.

Leo blinked. "Aren't you planning on telling your sisters?"

"Yes, but not right now." Piper slipped her hands down Leo's chest, unbuttoning his flannel shirt. "Right now you and I are going to take a shower. Weak Alchemists are tomorrow's problem."

"Are you-" Leo closed his eyes, submitting to his wife's advances. As their lips parted, he followed her into the shower. "Okay then."

----

"Where's your mom?"

"Huh?"

Cole frowned. "Didn't you go see your mom earlier?"

"Oh!" Pam flashed a grin. "Right. Yes, I did. And, uhm, she's staying at the Manor for a while." She crossed the living room and crawled onto the sofa, snuggling up next to her father. "What're you doing?"

"Trying to find something good to watch."

Pamela reached across her father's chest, grabbing the controller two cushions away. "I see we watch 'Rugrats' reruns on Nick." She flipped the channel to thirty-six.

Cole shrugged. It hadn't been exactly what he'd had in mind, but he couldn't exactly say no to his daughter. Not when it meant intervening in father-daughter time, which he rarely got because of their hectic lives. "Okay," he laughed. "'Rugrats' it is."

----

"Mom! Open up!" Phiona thudded her fist against the door of her mother's bedroom.

"Something wrong, Phi?"

Phiona spun around. Her cheeks reddened as she saw her Uncle Glenn. "Oh, hey…Erm…"

Glenn's brow rose. "Something I can help with?"

"Well…" The witchlighter chewed her lower lip, glancing down the hallway. "I think mom and dad are in the shower, and uhm, we need more pull-ups for Prissy."

Glenn scratched his head, slightly uncomfortable. "Oh. And you couldn't find anyone else?"

"Aunt Prue and Uncle Andy left about twenty ten minutes ago, and I think Aunt Paige is having an important conversation with Aunt Phoebe."

Glenn shifted his weight from one foot to another. "Where is Priss?"

Phiona flicked her wrist, ushering her uncle down the hall to the bathroom, where Pearl was sitting on the edge of the bathtub and Prissy was sitting on top of the toilet with her legs pulled to her chest.

"What are you doing here?" Pearl asked, jumping to her feet and standing in front of Prissandra.

"I heard Priss was having a little trouble with the whole potting training thing."

"'Cident," Prissy sniffled.

The mortal moved past his daughter and knelt down in front of his niece. He ruffled her brown hair and kissed her forehead. "What d'ya say the four of us go down and get some new Disney Princesses pull-ups?"

"Wif Cindyella?"

"With Cinderella." Glenn scooped his niece into his arms and motioned for Pearl and Phiona to follow him. "If you don't tell your mothers, I think we might be able to stop at the candy store too."

----

Paige crawled onto Prue's bed, curling up next to a shaken but healed Phoebe. "Hey."

"Hey."

Paige rubbed her older sister's back. "Are you okay?"

"Do I look okay?"

"I'm sorry."

Phoebe sighed. "I know." She pulled the covers up to her chin. "It's just that…"

"I know."

"No." Phoebe pursed her lips. "No you don't. You don't know what it's like to be completely violated."

The youngest hung her head. "What happened?"

"Are you asking if he raped me again?" Phoebe turned a shameful head towards the window. "The answer's no. Had it not been for Persia, he would have. He was about to." She wiped away a wet dot from the corner of her eye.

Paige wrapped her arms around her big sister, pulling her close. "I'm sorry."

"I know you are, baby." The psychic nuzzled her face into her baby sister's soft, dark hair.

"I should've tried harder."

"Paige…"

"No. You're my sister! I don't know how I could've let him get away with taking you! I mean, I was right there and I didn't even…"

"Stop it!" Phoebe touched the side of her baby sister's face. "He made himself immune to our powers. You couldn't have done anything differently."

Paige gripped her sister's arm. "I don't understand."

"Understand what?"

"You."

"What?"

"You're so strong, Phoebe. I mean, with everything he did to you. I would've died."

"I did. I died a little every day. For those nine months, I died a little more each day that I carried her. Just knowing that he was growing inside me made me feel so disgusting." Phoebe swallowed the lump in her throat.

"Then how?"

"I scheduled an abortion." Phoebe paused, collecting how she wanted to handle the next sentence. "I was in the waiting room for full three hours before they called me in. I was ready to go through with it right up until the point where I sat down on the metal table, and the nurse left me to go tell the doctor I was ready."

"What made you stop?"

"Mom."

"Mom?"

"I can't really explain it. I just started thinking about her, and how I never got a chance to know her. And that made me realize that it wasn't just James' baby I was carrying. She was part of me. Part of mom and dad and Piper, Grams, and even Prue. And then I knew I couldn't go through with it. James' evils weren't her fault, so why punish her for it? I asked myself what would it have proven anyway. I wasn't punishing him."

Paige gently massaged her sister's shoulders. "What happened after that? What were you going to do?"

"I thought about calling up Piper, but that idea was dismissed quickly. Prue and I had problems back then, and I knew she wouldn't take it well. Besides, I didn't want to imposition Grams, who already had a heart condition at the time. And I considered keeping her for a time, but I knew I'd never be able to afford it. So the next logical step was adoption."

"That must have been so hard."

"Like you have no idea." Phoebe snuggled closer to her sister. "Holding that newborn baby in your arms and knowing you can't keep her. It's one of the most horrible feelings in the world. Perhaps worse than dying."

Paige's lips parted several times before she uttered, "Do you think that's how mom felt when she held me?"

"Oh Paigey…" Phoebe smoothed Paige's hair with her hand. Wordlessly, she embraced her long lost sister and together, in the silence of Prue's room, she just held her.

_**TO BE CONTINUED….**_


	36. A Familiar Interface

A/N: Characters such as Pamela Walker and Keith are Ross' creations (FFN member **RJF**), and Emma DeLauro is also from his fanfiction. She is originally a character out of a show called _Mutant X_, and she's (as the title says) a highly powerful psionic mutant who (in Ross' story) becomes an immortal empath with the ability to pink orb (his creation). Michelle Bigelow is also a character from season one of _Mutant X_. She was an old High School buddy of Emma's with psionic-elemental powers. She was what they call a "telecyber," who can mentally communicate with machines. The episode she appeared in was called _Interface_, which is where the title for this chapter comes from. (P.S. I fixed the typo in the last chapter. And for anyone who also reads Ross' trilogy, the part where Pamela has moved into Keith's apartment hasn't happened in his story yet, just in case you're confused. Ross, I hope you don't mind me blurting that out!)

_**Change Happens**_

_**Chapter 36: A Familiar Interface**_

----Alternate Reality----

"Mmm." Emma DeLauro closed her eyes and savored the bittersweet flavor of her hot bumblebee latte; a banana and Irish crème coffee mixture. As she pulled the lid away from her lips, a cool New York breeze rustled her cherry red locks. She moved away from the coffee stand and into the bustling crowd.

Emma had been helping out one of her new empath charges earlier that morning. This had been the first in three hours that she'd gotten a moment to herself. Apparently her new charge had far more than normal going on in his life, as if being a gay teenage boy with deathly religious parents wasn't bad enough.

Glancing at her wrist watch, she noticed it was already 9:30 A.M. The empath groaned inwardly. She'd been up since before six in the morning. "People shouldn't have to endure such trauma." Emma took another sip of her latte. "I wonder if Pam's home?" She placed her hand to her hip, contemplating dropping by for an unexpected visit.

The telempath ducked into a New York alleyway, missing a crowd of business workers on their way back to the office. She made a quick three-sixty survey of the surrounding area, just to ensure that nobody would see her, and then her body dissolved into a swathe of rosy pink orbs which ascended into the pale blue sky.

----

"I know I moved those shoes into this closet last week." Pamela Walker placed her hands on her hips, surveying the messy closet that now contained a good portion of her belongings. She still hadn't organized since her impromptu move in with her ex-boyfriend, Keith, about two weeks prior.

"You don't have to get all dolled up to walk through a portal, you know." Persia Halliwell's image was being projected from an opened, golden locket that lay sprawled out on Pamela's bed.

"I'm not getting dolled up," Pamela grumbled. "I'm just getting presentable." She disappeared into the closet. Moments later a shoe box came flying out and landed with a thud across the room. Next, came an obnoxious yellow and orange scarf.

The projection wrinkled her nose. "Now I know that's not yours, right?"

"What?" Pam's voice was muffled as it came from somewhere deep within the closet.

"Nevermind." Persia's projection began to pace the room. She was growing more impatient as the minutes ticked by. It'd been forever, it seemed, since she and Pamela had spent some quality time together. What, with being worlds apart and all…literally.

"Pam! Did you take my favorite aftershave?"

"Why the hell would I take your aftershave?"

Persia's projection spun around at the sound of the unfamiliar voice. To her surprise, and embarrassment, she saw a particularly handsome and toned man coming out of the bathroom…and he was in the midst of wrapping a grayish-blue bath towel around his lower half. She screeched on instinct.

The young man's head bobbed up at the sound of the high pitched noise, and the towel slipped from his fingers, landing in a ring around his bare feet. At the sight of the projection, he froze. At the same time, his face bloomed into a fire engine red.

"Holy shit!" Pamela had emerged from the closet just as the towel had hit the ground. Her eyes bugged and her face blanched.

"Oh Goddess!" The projection spun around, turning her head away and bringing her hands over her eyes.

Pamela flicked her wrist, telekinetically lifting the towel from around the man's ankles and balling it up with her mind, before she formed a fist and shoved it in his direction, sending the balled towel sailing into his chest which inadvertently caused both him and the towel to go flying backwards through the bathroom doorway. Pam brought her hand back down, just as the bathroom door slammed shut via her power.

Hearing the slam of the door, Persia's projection spread out her fingers, peaking at her friend through the holes. "Is it safe?"

"Yes," Pam glowered, still looking at the closed door. She heard a groan from inside the bathroom.

The expression on Persia's projection was no longer red, but highly amused. She placed her hands to her hips and smirked. "Who is that hot hunk of meat?"

"Nobody!" Pamela turned on her heel, diving back into the closet.

"An off limits nobody, judging by the tone of your voice."

Pam poked her head around the closet door. Her cheeks looked unusually rosy. "Okay, fine, he's somebody."

"An important somebody?"

Pamela snorted. "He's just a friend."

"Just a friend? Are you sure that's all?"

"Ugh." Pamela's head disappeared back into the closet. "He's an ex."

"An ex?" The electrokinetic's projection seemed to cough. "I'm sorry, I don't believe I heard you right. You didn't just tell me you're living with your ex, did you?"

"That's exactly what I told just told you." Pamela emerged from the closet with a shoe box. "It's a long story, but the cliff notes version is that we didn't talk for three months and so he moved on."

"Why didn't you talk for three months?"

"I got shot, captured by the government, and used as a pawn to kill my family."

"Oh, is that all?" The projection crossed her arms. "What a jerk," she snorted, her tone half playful and half sarcastic. "So how did you come to live him with?"

"During those three months, my roommates found someone else to take my room."

"Right."

"Agh!" Pamela hurled the box across the room.

Persia's projection flickered as the box and a pair of Jimmy Choo boots came flying through it. "Thank you," she replied with heavy sarcasm. "Something wrong?"

"Those shoes should have been in that box!"

The projection's eyes rolled. "I think the Jimmy Choo's look nice. Hell, I'd kill for a pair that nice. Are they new?"

"Ehh, I got them last Christmas."

"You don't like them?"

"No, it's just that I don't have anything to wear them with."

"You could wear them with what you're wearing now."

"Meh."

The bathroom door opened again, and this time the young man strode out in a pair of blue jeans and no shirt. He was rubbing his shaggy brown hair with the towel that had fallen off earlier.

"Have you been in my closet?"

"Why would I want to go near that god forsaken thing?" He snapped, tossing the towel onto the dresser and grabbing a bronze bottle of cologne. He moved to the mirror and realized, through the reflection, that the ghost-like Persia was still there. His face reddened a little. "Why is she still here?"

"Why were you walking around naked?"

"This is my apartment!"

Persia's projection smiled slightly as she checked the man out from behind, which he didn't miss. "Well aren't you going to introduce us?"

"Persia, Keith. Keith, Persia." Pamela didn't even bother to come out of the closet.

"It's nice to meet you."

"Uh huh," Keith mumbled. "I'm heading out. Remember to lock the door this time."

"Mhmm." When Pam heard the door shut, she emerged from the closet. As she opened her mouth to speak, she heard a loud crash from the opposite room. "What the hell?" She moved to the door, swung it open, and couldn't help but smile as she saw Keith in a heap on the other side of the room. Her eyes moved away from him, landing on a familiar redhead.

"I assume she's another one of your uninvited guests?" Keith groaned.

"Actually, she is." Pamela Walker placed her hands on her hips. "It's nice of you to drop by Emma. Now can you tell me why you just threw Keith into a wall?"

"Oh. Well…we kinda startled each other." Emma flashed a pearly smile. "This is a nice place, by the way," she added in an effort to change the subject.

"Apartment," the telekinetic corrected. "And it's Keith's." She motioned to the bedroom. "C'mon back." Suddenly her eyes twinkled. "And you know what?"

Emma crossed her arms as she crossed into the room. "You want me to help you find your shoes?"

"You're psychic!"

The mutant shrugged. "That's what they say." As Pam shut the door, she placed her fingers to her temples and began to activate her psychokinesis. Within seconds, a pair of shoes flew out from under Pamela's bed.

"What the hell?" Pam stomped over to her shoes and slipped her feet into them. "I looked under there twice!"

"You're welcome," Emma replied sarcastically.

"A huh."

As Emma twirled around, her blue eyes lit up. "Persia!"

Persia's projection stood slightly with her mouth agape. "B-b-but I thought you were…dead."

Emma waved her hand, dismissing the idea. "Old news." She smiled brightly. "How've you been?"

The projection smiled in a mixture of awkwardness and confusion. "F-fine. You?"

"Splendid!" The psionic plopped down on Pam's bed and propped up her feet.

"Why did you stop by?" Pam asked. She now stood in front of the mirror, applying mascara.

"I was in the neighborhood."

"A huh."

"No really. I got a new charge just about ten miles away, and I've been busy with him for about three hours."

"Busy?" Pam chuckled, raising her brows.

"Not like that, gutter mind." Emma rolled her eyes. "First of all, he's gay. Second, he's about a million years too young for me."

"She's just jealous because she's got a hot hunk living with her, and she can't take advantage of it."

The redhead giggled, until she saw the look on Pam's face and stopped abruptly. "So…it looks like you're planning on going somewhere?"

"Over to Persia's."

"Something special going on?"

The projection dropped her head and turned away. "No. Just stuff."

Pam shrugged. "I don't even know what yet. Apparently it's topic secret."

"As long as it doesn't involve genetic mutations." Emma studied Persia's projection. Even though it was only a projection from the locket, and Persia's physical body was literally in another reality, she could still feel Persia's emotional turmoil. The fact that her powers were that strong surprised even herself. "Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?" The immortal empath inside her wouldn't allow her to not ask.

"I'm fine."

"Okay," Emma said quietly, although she could tell the girl was lying.

"I think I'm ready."

"Finally!"

Pam grabbed her clutch purse from the foot of the bed and tucked it under her arm. She chanted the quick spell that she and Persia often used to open the portal to each other's worlds, and then a glowing blue portal appeared in the middle of the room.

"See you in about a minute?"

"Mhmm." Pamela grabbed the locket from the bed and was about to close it, when something caught the corner of her eye.

"Pam?"

Pamela dropped the locket and craned her neck to the doorway of the bedroom. Her mouth hung open a little, as she wasn't sure what the hell she was seeing. They looked like orbs, but no orbs she'd ever seen before. They weren't blue, like the whitelighters she'd seen. They weren't pink, like Emma's. And they were not dark purple and black, like darklighters.

In front of the closed door, a trail of deep burgundy orbs were ascending from the carpet and swarming like bees into the shape of some type of human-looking being. As more and more came, the shape visibly formed into that of a woman. And when they finally disappeared, a young woman about Emma's age stood in their place.

The woman had thick, tightly curled brown hair. Her eyes were a piercing hazel, and her face was painted with a look of vengeful determination. The woman flicked her gaze around the room, before landing right on Emma. Her lips curved into a tight smile as she folded her bare arms across her plunging maraschino cherry halter top.

Suddenly Emma gasped. Her hands flew to her heart and she clutched it, gasping for her very breath.

"Emma!" Pam gasped, throwing out her arm. The room shook with her advanced telekinetic energy, and the curly brunette flew off her feet and slammed into the opposing wall. At the same time, the golden locket inadvertently became caught in the telekinetic storm and slammed shut.

Emma's blue eyes bulged. She scampered off the bed, staring at the woman with wide eyes. She seemed to be paralyzed with shock.

"This is between me and her," the curly haired woman snarled. She threw out her hand Pamela began to gasp. She smirked as the girl came crashing to her knees. "Humans and their need for emotion," she snarled. Her head flicked back to Emma, who still gaped in shock. "Surprised to see me, I guess? Long time no see, huh Em?" She curled her fist, causing Emma to clutch her chest again.

Emma closed her eyes and the room shook. The bed move a full two feet away from the wall. A split second later, the mystery woman found herself pinned to the wall again. "H-how?"

The brunette squinted her eyes and they began to glow a striking blue-white, followed by a powerful beam of energy that hit Emma head on, causing the empath to shriek from pain. In that moment, she dropped from the wall.

"Because," the brunette growled, "I was the perfect candidate for the position. Just as you were destined to become an immortal empath, I was destined to become an immortal apath." She stalked over to the fallen empath and slapped her hand to the back of Emma's neck, causing the redhead to howl in agony.

Emma squinted her eyes. _An apath. An apath!_ She ducked to the ground, spreading out her leg and sweeping the apath's legs out from under her. She scrambled away as the woman grabbed for her ankle, and then she squinted her eyes, sending a wave of empathic emotion into the woman.

The apath's mouth dropped open and she elicited a hideous cry. Her hands flew to her head and she held herself as she screamed.

"Michelle, what happened?" Emma whispered. She held her head, staring at the brunette from a few feet away. "I thought Adam fixed your powers?"

Michelle doubled over. "H-he didn't fix me," she growled, "he tried to c-con-trol me!" She threw out her arms and hit Emma with an intense wave of apathic power, nearly voiding Emma's soul of emotion.

For the non-magical community, it drove them insane. For magical beings, depending on its intensity, it could do anything from make them go insane to send them into a magical coma. But for immortal empaths, the good counterparts of apaths, it was deadly. Visa versa for empathic emotion on apaths.

Emma dropped to her knees, just inches from where Pamela was still struggling to keep her sanity. She fought Michelle's dark powers, and soon produced a glowing globe of psionic energy above her forehead. As Michelle ran towards her, she released the beam into Pamela's forehead.

Pamela scrambled back, recovering with the help of Emma's psionic blast. Unfortunately, as she got her bounds, Emma and Michelle were already rolling about the floor in a full blown struggle of wills. Pam placed her hand to her mouth and blew over her palm, producing a cloud of sub zero frost that flew towards Michelle, who had straddled Emma.

Feeling the air around her cool, Michelle grabbed Emma's cherry red hair and yanked it, rolling them both across the floor. However, she over calculated and before she could stop herself, she found another force pulling her and Emma towards it. To her horror, she looked up to see both of them sucked into the glowing blue of a magical portal.

"No!" Pamela shrieked. She dashed towards the portal, but it was too late. Emma and Michelle were already lost within it, and she knew Persia would definitely not be expecting them on the other side. She didn't bother to try and grab the locket, she just jumped into the portal after them, praying that she'd get through in time.

----Real World----

Persia tapped her foot anxiously. She had no idea what had happened a few minutes ago, but the swirling feeling in her gut was telling her that it was bad. She had half a mind to open up the portal and go over to help up.

The electrokinetic glanced down at her watch: three minutes had passed. She frowned. Then, in a fluid motion, she jumped off her bed. "I'm going over there." As she opened her mouth to recite the spell she knew by heart, a glowing blue portal emerged out of nowhere.

Persia smiled, moving towards it in a cocky manner. "Well it's about damn ti-" She jumped back as two woman, one of whom she only recognized as the one to attack Emma earlier, rolled out. "What the hell?"

"Get back!" Emma shouted. She jerked her arm back, curled her fist, and sent a powerful punch into the center of Michelle's face.

Michelle reeled back as blood gushed from her nostrils. She scrambled away from Emma, cupping her running nose. As she took to her feet, another female ran out of the portal, which immediately closed behind her. Michelle didn't know where she was, but she knew one thing. _I'm trapped!_

"You are not getting away that easily," Alternate Pamela hissed. She blew another icy, cryokinetic puff from her mouth and it flew directly for its target. She felt strongly that she would make her mark this time.

Unfortunately, Michelle had other plans. Her body dissolved into a cloud of burgundy dark orbs and descended into the floor, moving towards the Underworld. Although Michelle had no idea where she was, she knew that the Underworld was always in the same place and that's where she intended to make her first stop. Besides, good magic couldn't track her there.

"Shit!" Pamela cursed, as the icy breath flew through the apath dark orbs and encased a portion of Persia's bedroom wall in ice. She turned swiftly to Emma, with a million and one questions glowing on her face. "Who the hell was that?"

Emma was still holding her heart as she staggered over to Persia's bed. Her breathing was slow and panicked.

"Emma?" Persia moved to her friend, concerned. "Are you alright? Can I get you anything?"

Emma shook her head. "No," she whispered hoarsely, "I think I'm going to be okay."

Alternate Pamela folded her arms. "Emma," she said pointedly. "Who was that?"

"Michelle," the telempath choked. "Michelle Bigelow."

"And what does she want with you?"

"She was an old friend," Emma explained wistfully. "We went to High School together."

"And so how did she come to turn on you?"

"I ran into her again during my first year after joining Mutant X. But at the time, I didn't realize she'd joined the GSA." She glanced at Persia. "A bad government agency, bent on containing new mutants. Anyway, her powers ended up making her go crazy."

"What were they?"

"She's what we call a telecyber. She has the ability to mentally communicate and control machines and technology. But her powers became so great that she became a type of machine, a robot of sorts, herself. Completely void of emotion. She came after me. But I used my telempathy to overload her mind with emotion, which brought her back to a semi-stable state. And Adam genetically fixed her powers so that they wouldn't, for the lack of a better word, malfunction again."

Persia folded her arms. "So if this Adam guy fixed her, why is she chasing you?"

Emma touched the side of her head. "I'm not exactly sure," she whispered, "but I think I may have a pretty good idea."

"And would you care to clue us in?" Alternate Pamela asked.

"I think dark magic may have gotten ahold of her and offered her the chance to become an immortal apath."

"An immortal apath?" Persia questioned. "And that is what?"

"The dark counterparts of immortal empaths. They're the equivalent of a darklighter to a whitelighter." She shivered. "Apaths have two purposes: one, to drive the mortal world into madness by taking away human emotion with their apathic powers, and two, to kill immortal empaths. They're the only things that have the power to kill and immortal empath."

"So I'm guessing she was the perfect candidate to become an apath, not only because of her powers but because of her history with you?"

Emma nodded. "That's my theory."

Persia sighed. "And now we've let her loose in my world."

Emma jumped to her feet. "Which means we need to start working on a way to find her and get her back home, so I can deal with her…again."

_**TO BE CONTINUED….**_


	37. Primrose Apath

A/N: Sorry for the delay, guys. I've been on vacation in the wonderful city of _Charmed_ (San Francisco), from Tuesday through Saturday (we stayed an extra night to go visit Alcatraz), and then I came home only to babysit a four-month-old, and then I had to work Sunday, and when I finally did get the computer, it was taken away because my Mom said she wanted to use the computer "for a few minutes" (which turned into ALL night). So here I am, FINALLY updating for you all. Whew.

_**Change Happens**_

**_Chapter 37: Primrose Apath_**

Alternate Pamela buzzed around her friend, hovering closely over Persia Halliwell's shoulder. Her eyes were glued to the map and the swinging crystal that hung from Persia's slim fingers. They'd been trying to track Michelle Bigelow for over an hour.

"This isn't doing us any good." Persia let the crystal drop from her hand, landing with a thump on the center of the map.

Emma folded her arms. "I bet you she's in the Underworld."

"Well how in the world are we supposed to track her there?"

"We could just start vanquishing," Alternate Pamela suggested.

"That'll get us far." Persia tapped her index finger against her temple as she paced her room. A massive headache was beginning to form. This was not the problem she wanted her friend her for.

"Persia?"

The teenager swung her head up, just as her bedroom door swung open. "Mom!"

Phoebe's mouth opened and then abruptly shut as she stared at the guests from the alternate world. "Uhm…Pamela?" Her head twisted to Persia. "I didn't realize you had company."

Persia chewed her lip. "Actually, I invited Pam over for the, uhm, to talk…" She shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "But we sort of have a problem."

Phoebe's brows lifted. "A problem?" She glanced quickly at Emma, and back to her daughter.

"Yeah. Emma was attacked and she and the demon-"

"Apath."

"What?"

"Apath," Emma said again. "She's not a demon. She's an immortal apath. There's a difference."

"Right." Persia shook her head. It felt like a jackhammer was pounding behind her eyes. "The apath, or whatever she is, came through the portal with Emma."

"And she orbed off," Alternate Pamela finished impatiently.

"Orbed?"

"Dark orbed. It's a culmination of burgundy orbs; apathic orbing." Emma bit her lip. "We think she might be in your Underworld, and we need to find her before she causes any damage to your world."

Phoebe opened her mouth to reply, when the sound of Cole's voice stopped her. She craned her neck in the opposite direction, just as her husband's frowning face came into view. "Cole," she paused, "is something wrong?"

Cole scratched his head. "I just wanted to tell you about something I saw on the news." He stopped just inches from his wife, and brushed a strand of her brown hair behind her ear. "But judging from the look on your face, it looks like you have something more important going on."

"Persia's flying an evil flag."

"She turned evil again?"

"No!" Phoebe jerked open her daughter's door. "She's fine. But we've got a-a…what did you call it?"

"Apath."

"An apath from Pamela's world loose in ours."

"Great." Cole poked his head into his step-daughter's room. "What's the cliff note's version?"

"Emma thinks she might be in the Underworld," Persia blurted out. "Do you think you might be able to go down there and see if you can find anything out?"

Cole nodded. "Uh, sure." He narrowed his blue eyes. "Who, exactly, am I looking for though?"

A glowing globe of white psionic energy appeared above Emma's head. It flew from her forehead into Cole's, pushing him back slightly. She narrowed her gaze. "Does that help?"

Cole's brow furrowed. "What did you just do?" He asked, his mind still a little fuzzy.

"I sent you one of my mental images of Michelle," the immortal empath replied. "That's who you're looking for, by the way. Michelle Bigelow."

"Michelle." Cole cleared his throat. "I'll, uh, be back as soon as I can." He quickly kissed his wife's forehead and shimmered out of sight.

"I'm thinking we should head to the Manor," Phoebe suggested. "We can consult the Book there."

"I don't know how much help your Book will be," Emma confessed. "Unless you have importal apaths here?"

"Not that I've heard of." Phoebe shook her head. "Okay, well, how about we at least go to tell my sisters about this? Seven heads are better than four, you know."

"Yeah, okay." Persia shook her head, breezing past her mother and moving down the hallway.

"Persia!" Alternate Pamela charged after her. "Where the hell are you going?"

"To get some asprin." Persia disappeared down the hallway with only one thing on her mind. _This is not what I signed on for!_

----

"Oh!" Piper Halliwell's hand shot out in lightning speed, reacting to the sight of five of her most expensive wine bottles flying through the air. She'd previously busied herself with inventory, while burly moving men had been in and out of her club, P3. She'd walked out just in time to see one of them walk backwards into the corner of her wine table, which she'd had yet to count.

Over the past few days, Piper had signed on a new design firm to remodel her VIP seating area. She'd been thoroughly impressed by the work of the head designer, Marisole Sudney, and the rates had seemed very reasonable. The trouble hadn't started until this morning, when the moving men arrived. They were everything but graceful.

_Five bulls in a China shop_, the timer thought dryly. She hurried over to her stationary table, which was half tipped over. The five bottles of wine were suspended in a range from one to ten inches above of the ground. She eagerly collected the bottles, piling them into her arms, and then squinted her eyes at the men.

"Oog!" The man who'd wedged himself into the table gave a muffled growl, just as the table hit the floor sideways. "Can't you place these things anywhere else?"

Piper's eyes burned. "Can't you watch where you're going?" She snarled. The witch turned on her heel, heading towards her back room. As she got within a foot of the doorway, another noise caught her attention. She wrinkled her nose. "It sounds like a T.V." She twisted her head from right to left, seeing no one. Deciding to be sure, she ducked into her office and deposited the wine bottles on her desk, not even stopping to move her inventory papers. _As long as they're out of the way of those guys._

Rubbing her head, Piper stepped back out of her office and began to carefully follow the faint sound of the television that she'd heard moments before. She knew for a fact that she hadn't turned on the small T.V. that she kept behind P3's stage. However, when she ducked behind the large burnt red curtain, it was on. _And_, she guessed, _it didn't turn on by itself._

The witch placed her hands on her hips as her eyes landed on the back of the shaggy black haired man in front of her television. "Excuse me," she hissed, "but just what do you think you're doing back here?"

The greasy haired man lifted his hand, holding up a black remote. His finger pressed the 'Mute' button, and then he shifted around on the small sofa he was sitting on, and smiled sweetly at Piper. "Oh, hey!" He dipped his hand into a half eaten bag of potato chips. "I was just takin' five, so I thought I'd stroll around and take a look-see." He pulled a handful of chips out and stuffed them into his mouth. "Nifce pwace," he mumbled through a mouthful of chips.

Piper brushed across the room in a flash, and grabbed the controls from the seat cushion next to him. "Well your five is up!" She flicked her hand towards the door. "And this is a staff and performers only zone!"

"Sorry!" The man held up his hands in defeat. "Geeze, didn't realize you were so hormonal about things."

"Hormonal?" Her eyes flashed. "Hormonal?" Piper's fingers flexed, but she somehow managed to keep her powers in check. "Out!"

Glaring, the man stumbled out of the room, muttering something snotty under his breath.

Once he was gone, Piper placed her hands to her head in anger. Then her nose twitched as she began to rub her fingers over the television controller. Looking down at it, she noticed oily fingerprints. _No doubt from the chips._ Her eyes widened. _The chips!_ Her brown irises shifted to the couch, which was littered with oily chips. "Aw crap!"

Grabbing the bag, she could see that oil stains now covered the formally expensive piece of furniture. It had been part of her old VIP lounge, and in pristine condition. Piper had planned on selling it, and using the cash to help pay for her VIP lounge remodel. "Well," she growled spitefully, "that takes care of that idea!"

Spinning around, Piper lifted her hand to press the 'Power' button on the remote control. The television was still on mute, but the words at the bottom of the screen caught her eyes instead. 'Crazy for Coo-Coo Patients!' Piper snickered in spite of herself. _The press_, she thought, _are the absolute worst at coming up with good puns._ She shook her head, curiosity overcoming her, and the pressed the button to up the volume.

"Breaking news! I've just received word that two of the mentally disturbed patients have attacked and killed one of the doctors!"

The Charmed One's brows furrowed. "Psycho patients turning on the doctors," Piper sighed. "It sounds like something out of 'Kingdom Hospital,' not real life." Her thumb hovered over the button, just as an establishing shot of the San Francisco Psychiatric Hospital appeared on screen. Piper stared, almost transfixed for a moment, and then quickly pressed the button. The screen went black, and Piper dropped the bag and remote back onto the sofa. "I'll deal with this later," she sighed. "I always do."

----

Pandora Trudeau pinched the bridge of her nose. "Daddy," she groaned, "it smewlls."

Andy chuckled as he ruffled his daughter's long, raven locks. "It's just the fish and saltwater," he assured. "It's how Pier 39 always smells."

Pandora shook her head forcefully. "Aways yucky?" She placed her hand on her hip, looking so much like her mother. "I don't likes it."

"You and me both, kid."

Pandora turned around and smiled at her uncle, even through her discomfort. "Yucky."

Glenn had his hand clamped over his nose. "This was definitely one of the things I did not miss about San Francisco." He waved his hand towards the hills, leading away from the water. "It's not so bad up there, but down by the water…" He shook his head, frowning behind his cupped hand.

"It's not so bad," Andy defended. "It's like a…a pet shop! It's like the fish section of a pet shop." He waved his hand at the boats that were bobbing in the water. "A pet shop amplified." He wrapped his hands around the bar of the stroller and pushed it forward. "It reminds me of this one pet store back in Nevada." His eyes were wistful. "I was visiting my grandmother for the summer back when I was seventeen, and she wanted to take me down to Virginia City for the day. She figured that, while we were close by, we could also detour to visit the capital."

"Is that the same grandmother you guys went to see for your Family Reunion?"

Andy nodded. "Sasha."

Pandora's eyes lit up. "Gweat Nana Sasha!" The little witch tugged at her father's pant leg. "I member hew, daddy. I likeded hew."

"Anyway," Andy moved on, "we got lost down town, and stopped into this one pet shop for directions. It was a really small, cramped little place called Jan's Tropics. I'll never forget that trip, because that was the day I got George."

"George?"

"The best dog I've ever known. He was a Black Lab and Golden Retriever cross breed. A gorgeous dog, by the way. He had that long, thick hair like a Retriever, and a rich black chocolate coat like a Lab. But his eyes were his most memorable feature. One was brown, one was gold. They were always so big and bright and welcoming. Nana used to say that even when they were closed, they were open."

"He sounds like a great dog."

"He was. He loved everyone, especially kids." Andy bit his lip. His eyes were visibly misty, and slightly red. He turned towards the water again, and pressed to body to the railing that separated himself from the bay.

"What happened to him?" Glenn asked softly.

"He got killed in a fight with a coyote," Andy whispered. "He was trying to protect Bethany, my grandmother's newest colt."

"Was she alright?"

Andy nodded solemnly. "He hurt the coyote pretty bad, and sent him bleeding off into the mountains. Nana said she would've gone after him, but instead she chose to stay with George during his last minutes." He dabbed the corners of his eyes with his sleeve. "I always thought he'd pass away an old, arthritic guy, sleeping peacefully on Nana's front porch."

Not really sure how to comfort his friend, Glenn simply gave him a heartfelt pat on the back. He closed his mouth and leaned against the railing, much to his dismay. Although he didn't plan on sharing at the current time, he knew what Andy meant. He, too, had lost a few special friends in his time. As their faces flashed through his mind's eye, it stung him again.

"Daddy!"

The Inspector whipped his head around at the sound of the girl's voice. Pandora's sharp, almost frantic, tone had jolted him from his memories. "What is it? What's wrong?" He searched the crowded streets with his blue eyes, all the while kneeling down to pull his daughter close.

Pandora's lip protruded from her face. "I not likes it hewe," she persisted. Her head shook vigorously from side to side.

Glenn took ahold of the stroller, and wheeled it around in the opposite direction. "Pan," he addressed his niece, "do you know something we don't?" He shared a quick glance with his fellow mortal brother-in-law, and then returned his sights to Pandora.

Pandora peeked around her father's arms, looking down the street. There were cars strewn along the sides of the road, blocked traffic, and hordes of pedestrians in every shape and form. From a visual standpoint, nothing appeared wrong. Everything looked the way San Francisco, Pier 39 in particular, always looked. Quickly, she buried her head into her father's chest. "I wanna go home!"

Andy scooped his daughter into his arms, settling the heavy little girl on his hip. He wasn't fond of picking her up lately, as she was so big now. But it didn't feel right not to, right now. He couldn't put his finger on what it was, but he knew something must be wrong with her.

"How about Uncle Darryl's?" Andrew suggested brightly. "We were going to go over there anyway, remember? You were going to spend some time at his house while we went to cousin Persia's…" He pursed his lips, trying to find the right way to phrase his next line. "While we took care of your cousin's business at the courthouse, with Uncle Cole."

Pandora bit her lip as she stared over her dad's shoulder, glancing from Glenn to the shade that covered her little sister's stroller. "Okay," she relented quietly.

"That's a good girl," Andy soothed. He kissed her cheek and waved his brother-in-law down the street, stopping at the crosswalk and waiting for signal to go.

As the green street light flashed to yellow, a bulky white van with tinted windows and a cable dish strapped to the roof sped through the intersection, making it under the light just as it changed to a red light. On the side of the van were large dark blue letters which read, 'Channel 8 News'. Unbeknownst to the people outside, they were tearing down the street in the direction of the San Francisco Psychiatric Hospital, hot on the trail of now two murders caused by the revolting mental patients that reside there.

----

Paige frowned as she poked her head out of the bathroom door. "Do I look okay? I mean, business-like?" She stepped out tentatively, and gave her big sister a small turn.

"I don't think Persia will care how you look," Prue confessed. She grabbed a dark blue jacket, the matching piece to the knee length blue skirt her sister was wearing, and handed it to Paige. "As long as you're there."

"I know, I know." Paige slipped the professional looking jacket on over her ivory seamless camisole, and fastened the bottom three buttons. "I just want to look presentable for her."

"You've been in a court house before, Paige."

"Not in years!" The youngest retorted. "Not for anything important, anyway. Not since I worked for South Bay." She headed back into the bathroom and grabbed a brush from the edge of the sink. "What time is it?"

"The trial isn't for another few hours." Prue stuffed her hands into the pockets of her casual, black jeans. Unlike Paige, she'd forced herself to hold off getting ready until right before they had to leave. She knew the guys wouldn't be too happy, but then again, she didn't want to end up getting one of her nicer outfits splattered with demonic goo either.

"Shouldn't Andy and Glenn be back by now?" Paige leaned forward, injecting an pearl earring into her left lobe.

"They took the Phae and Pandora to the Aquarium by the Bay, down at Pier 39. Then they're dropping them off at Darryl's, and they should be back soon."

"What're Piper and Leo doing with Priss?"

"She's already there. Sheila and DJ picked her up this morning, while you were out buying that," Prue indicated the camisole, "but the guys had already left."

"Why didn't Priss just go with them?"

"Do you remember the sneezing fit she had a few days ago?" Upon her sister's nod, Prue continued. "Well, this morning it progressed into coughs and a small fever, so Piper thought it best that she not go out."

Paige frowned. "I hope she's okay." Worry lines creased her face. "Maybe I should call?"

Prue smiled slightly. "You do that. I'm gonna head downstairs and grab something from the fridge." As she stepped out of the bathroom she added, "Do you want anything too?"

Paige shook her head. "Nah, my stomach's doing all kinds of flips right now." Her fingers curled slightly. She didn't want to admit it, but she wasn't sure how she would handle seeing Dane again. It would take every once of self discipline to keep her from attacking the little rat. Or worse.

----

"What're you doing?"

Pearl snorted. "Meditating," she snapped, "what does it look like?"

"It looks like you're rubbing your temples raw." Phiona flopped down on the floor next to her cousin, eyeing her suspiciously. "Is something wrong?"

"What do you think?"

"Geeze you're moody today."

Pearl rolled her eyes, and resumed pressing her fingers to the sides of her head. "Why are you in here, anyway?"

"I was bored." Phiona rolled to her stomach and propped her head up in her hands. "And I wanted to get away from all this tension. If it was any thicker, I'd bet you could actually see it." The light haired witch gazed straight forward, seemingly examining the wall. "I especially feel bad for Persia, I mean…she has to face that guy again." Although the ten-year-old didn't know exactly what had happened to her older cousin, she knew that it scared Persia half to death when ever talk of the trial came up.

Pearl shook her head. "Can you just…stop talking?"

Phiona flinched back, hurt by her cousin's request. They'd always been so close to each other. Always there for each other, no matter what. They could talk about anything and everything. She couldn't understand why Pearl was pushing her away now. "Pearl-"

"Please!"

Phiona blinked back the hurt. "Fine," she replied harshly. "I'll remember this next time you want to talk." With that, she slammed the door so loudly that the room shook, causing a picture of Pearl and Phiona to come crashing down from the wall.

Pearl winced under the sound of the shattering glass. She hadn't meant to be so mean. She hadn't wanted to. But something was bugging her. Maybe even calling to her. Something in her head was crying out, and she thought that by meditating, maybe it would help her to clear her mind. Unfortunately, it had only made things that much worse.

"Agh!" The Blessed One slapped angrily at the sides of her head. "Leave me alone!" Her hand arched, sending a white sphere sailing through the black computer screen that sat atop her desk. Then her brown irises faded to a rich burgundy. Her hands fell limply to her sides, and she walked robotically to the smoking computer.

Even though the screen was completely damaged, and black smoke billowed from the webbed glass, the screen glowed and flickered to life. Amongst the webbing, was a blue background. Upon it, white words began to appear. 'What is your name?'

"Pearl."

'I can help you, Pearl.'

Pearlinda studied the broken screen for a short time, and then nodded her head. "How?"

'I can stop the pain.'

"What do I have to do?" For a long beat, all she saw was the blue screen. And then, in the reflection of the broken glass, she saw a cloud of dark burgundy lights appear. Slowly, she turned around, coming face to face with a curly haired brunette woman.

"Come with me." Michelle Bigelow offered her hand to the child, who accepted it readily. She smiled slightly. It had taken much more than she'd anticipated to begin voiding Pearl's emotions, which was slowly driving the young witch crazy.

It had been the tugging feeling that Pearl had been fighting so desperately; it was her ability to feel leaving her body. Luckily for Michelle, Pearl had turned to meditation, which had completely opened her up to her apathic abilities.

"You'll feel none of it in no time," the apath promised. She tightened her grip around the eleven-year-old's hand, and then summoned her power of apathic orbing. Glowing swarms of burgundy spheres danced around her and her newest victim, before gliding upwards and disappearing through the ceiling.

_**TO BE CONTINUED….**_


	38. The Road Bless Traveled

A/N: Sorry guys, I took a bit of time off to write two one shot stories that were nagging at me. _A Leap For Love_, which is an alternate Paiglenn ending to _House Call_, and _Conflicts Of The Heart_, which is a Coop/Phoebe/Cole song fic to Faith Hill's _Just Around The Eyes_. Now that I've written stories for two out of four of my all time favorite couples, I'm thinking I may write two more one shots for Piper/Leo and Prue/Andy. (They may or may not end happily, as anyone who has read the above stories has seen.) And if I haven't mentioned this yet, I'm also working on a story called _Starting Over_, which will take place in the alternate _Morality Bites_ future, in which Phoebe does burn at the stake and then Prue and Piper are exposed and hunted for the crime of witchcraft. (And of course, with the death of one Charmed One, we'll have to see if destiny will bring an entire family together again.) Oh! And before I forget again, the pet store I mentioned in my last chapter, Jan's Tropics, is actually a real pet shop. (If you ever go to Nevada, you should check it out. The back of the store really does smell like Fisherman's Warf.)

_**Change Happens**_

**_Chapter 38: The Road Bless Traveled_**

"Piper!" Phoebe stomped up the stairs in the house she'd grown up in, desperately searching for any of her three sisters. "Paige! Prue!" As she rounded the corner, she saw Paige poke her head out of her bedroom, glaring. "Hey," she said, lowering her voice.

"Did you have to yell?" The youngest growled.

"Something's come up."

"What?" Paige stepped into the hallway, glowering. "No way." Upon her sister's nod she said, "What? A demon? Please say it's an easy vanquish demon. I don't want Persia to have anymore drama today."

Phoebe bit her lip.

"It's not an easy vanquish demon." Paige frowned. "Great. What is it?"

"It's not actually a demon, per say. It's…a long story." The psychic rubbed her forehead. "Just trust me when I say it's bad…and from another world."

"Another world?" Paige started to follow her sister down the hall. "Like, another dimension?"

"No, as in an alternate universe other world. Pam's, to be exact. You remember? From the whole mutant world."

"I see."

"Where are Prue and Piper?"

"Piper's at the club, and Prue's downstairs."

"I was just downstairs, and I didn't see her."

Paige froze. "She was supposed to be in the kitchen."

Phoebe shook her head. "That's the first place I checked."

Paige began to glow a soft blue, and small glowing lights began to surround her feet and filter up her legs. "Go look again! I'll go get Piper." And before Phoebe could protest, the youngest Charmed One was gone.

Phoebe quickened her pace. "Prue!"

----

"Persia, talk to me!" Alternate Pamela stood outside of her friend's bathroom door. Her hands were placed squarely on her hips, and her face was creased with worry and irritation.

"I'll be out in a few minutes!"

"Not good enough," she murmured to herself. Alternate Pam held out her hand, hearing the hinges creek as the door swung open, revealing her friend sitting on the toilet lid with her legs drawn up to her chest.

"Pam!"

"Sorry, but I'm not a patient person." The older girl leaned against the door, examining her friend slowly. "What's this all about, Persia? And don't give me crap about telling me later, because then I'll be forced to do other things to get information out of you."

Persia poked her head up from her knees, smiling a little in spite of herself.

Alternate Pamela walked over to the edge of the large, bare claw bathtub and balanced herself on the rim. "Okay, kid, start talking."

Persia just stared for several minutes, before reaching into her back pocket and pulling something out. It sounded like the rustling of papers. And then she held them up in front of her friend. "This," she said as she handed them over, "is why I wanted you to come today."

The latter unfolded the papers, and began to skim them over. Her face gradually changed from irritation, to confusion, and then anger as she reached the end of the paper. Her eyes lifted up. "Persia," she said slowly, "why didn't you tell me about this before?"

"It's not exactly something I wanted to talk about. I mean, if some guy nearly raped you, would you want to talk about it?" She hugged her knees again.

Alternate Pam's hand tightened around the papers, but her friend didn't seem to notice. Then her expression changed abruptly. "Hey, no worries. We're going to get this apath mess fixed up, and then I'll stay as long as you need me to, okay?"

The electrokinetic let out a little sigh of relief. Everything had been weighing so heavily on her over the last week, and she was very glad to release some of that pressure. "Thanks, Pam."

"No problem," she said as she patted her friend's arm comfortingly. The telekinetic then stuffed the papers into her pocket, and then moved to the sink. "Hey," she said suddenly, "you don't happen to have anymore of those aspirins left, do you?"

----

"Whoa!" Piper's hands shot out, freezing a tipped ladder and one of her movers, as he pummeled backwards towards the floor. She was beginning to wonder if they were trying to get hurt on the job, and sue her for it. It was, after all, the third guy she'd saved from something horrible in the last thirty minutes. It was becoming tiresome, and she wasn't getting any work done whatsoever.

"Piper!"

The middle witch jumped. "Wh…Paige!" She spun around, eyeing her baby sister just several feet from her. "What are you doing here? I thought you were at the Manor?"

"We've got problems, and you have to come home immediately."

"But-"

"No time to waste!" Paige grabbed her sister by the forearm, just as she noticed the frozen man. "Piper," she said slowly, "what's going on?"

"Long story," the middle sister groaned. She flicked her wrist again, bringing the man out of her freeze and into a slow motion freefall. _It'll hurt when he lands_, she thought, _but not nearly as much as it was going to._ And just as her sister's orbs clouded her vision, she heard a slow motion grunt, and she smirked in satisfaction.

----

"Prue?" Phoebe dropped to her knees, checking her big sister for a pulse. She found one, and quickly began to pat her older sister's face. "Hey, come on honey, wake up."

Prue groaned. Her thick black lashes fluttered as she opened her bright blue eyes, staring up at Phoebe in confusion. "When did you get here?"

"That's not important," Phoebe replied quickly. She offered a hand, helping Prue to her feet. "I want to know how you got here."

Prue squinted, eyeing the corner by the fireplace. _Yes_, she thought groggily, _how did I get here?_

"Prue?"

"I don't know," she groaned. Her hand moved to the back of her head, touching it gingerly. Then she let out a little yelp, bringing her hand away she found a gooey glob of red blood.

"Oh!" Phoebe looked to the ceiling. "Leo!"

"Oh my gosh!" Piper tore into the room, running straight to her big sister. "Prue," she gasped, "what happened?"

"I don't know," she said again.

"Leo! Get your whitelighter ass down here this instant!" And upon her shout, she saw her husband's orbs appear. Piper waved her hands frantically.

Paige crossed her arms, as she skirted around her sisters. "Phoebe," she said slowly, "come here."

Phoebe eyed her sister with confusion. "What?"

"Look." Paige flicked her wrist in the direction of a fire poker, with the end covered in blood. Presumably Prue's blood. "Maybe you can get a premonition off of that?"

Phoebe cringed, before kneeling down and hesitantly touching the golden metal. At first, it seemed like an electrical shock, and then visions filled her mind's eye.

_**----Premonition----**_

_Prue reached for the whistling tea pot, plucking it from the stove and ceasing the ear piercing noise instantly. She moved to the sink, where she grabbed a dry mug from the drainer and was about to pour some of her chamomile tea into it._

"_Aunt Prue!"_

"_Pearl?"_

"_Help me!"_

_The cup dropped from Prue's hand, shattering in the sink. She turned around, literally running through the wall with her phasing power, and dashing into the room in which she'd heard her niece's voice. "Pearl?" Her eyes roamed the room, seeing nothing amiss. "Pearl?"_

"_Aunt Prue," a small voice croaked, "help me…"_

_Prue followed the sound, moving towards the fireplace. But as she neared it, she heard an explosion and whirled around to see stuffing from the couch cushion flying through the air._

_That was when Pearl jumped out from the side of the fireplace, fire poker in hand, and swung it at her unsuspecting aunt. Blood spattered instantly, and she jumped out of the way as Prue fell to the ground. She dropped the fire poker, and stared at her aunt. Her irises her glowing a deep burgundy._

_A cloud of orbs appeared behind her, forming into a curly haired brunette. "You've done well, Pearl." She took the Blessed One's hand, and apathically orbed out._

_**----Premonition----**_

"Pheebs?" Paige touched her sister's shoulder tentatively.

"It was Pearl."

"What?" Paige nearly yelled.

"She's under some kind of spell or control or something. Her eyes were glowing this burgundy color." She shivered a little. Normally when she experienced premonitions, she at least felt something, via her empathy. But when Pearl had struck Prue, she felt absolutely nothing. No anger, hatred, remorse. Nada. Something was seriously wrong here, and this Michelle Bigelow was definitely not someone to play around with.

----

"Aunt Sheila!" Pandora threw her arms around Sheila's neck.

"Hey baby," Sheila grinned, stroking the little girl's dark raven hair. "What've you been up to?"

Pandora snorted. "Daddy and Uncle Glenn taked me and Phae to the smewy waf."

"Oh," the older woman replied knowingly, "Fisherman's Warf?"

Pandora nodded, plugging her nose for effect. "Ew."

Sheila moved to the stroller, and peaked under the top. She smiled at the sleeping babe underneath. "Out like a light," she said, glancing to Andy.

"She fell asleep about half way to your house, which means if there aren't any loud noises, you'll probably get a few hours of peace."

"How's Prissy?"

"Fine. She's sleeping upstairs right now."

"Has her fever gone down?"

"A little. I gave her a sippy cup with Gatorade earlier, and then she snacked on some saltine crackers and fell asleep."

Pandora tugged at Sheila's pant leg. "Can I go sees hew?"

Sheila ruffled the child's hair. "No, sweetie. She's sick, and we don't want you catching a cold too, now do we?"

Pandora stuck out her bottom lip as she shook her head.

"Well," Glenn said slowly, "we should probably get going."

"But thank you so much for watching the little tykes!"

Sheila passed Andy a brief hug. "My pleasure." She winked at Pandora. "There are just some things you can do with girls, that you just can't do with boys." She loved her son with every fiber of her being, but sometimes she did wish that she and Darryl had also had a daughter. Babysitting Andy's girls often gave her the opportunity to live that fantasy, and she enjoyed every minute with them.

The telepath grinned mischievously. "Makeup!"

Sheila waved her hand, shooing Glenn and Andy out of the house. "I'll see you around seven?"

Glenn gave a reassuring nod as he got into the car. "Thanks again!"

----

"Ooh, oh, oh!" Phoebe ran into the attic, flailing her arms in front of her sisters. "I just got another premonition," she exclaimed frantically.

Prue cocked her head to the side. "What happened?"

"I was in Pearl's room, and I got a premonition off of her computer." She placed her hands on her hips. "Which is destroyed, by the way. Anyways, it's going to get really bad, really soon."

"What happened?" Prue stressed.

"I saw mental patients, all with glowing eyes, flooding the streets. They were manic! People were screaming, dying, and…it was insane!" She caught Paige's bemused stare. "No pun intended." Her eyes shifted to Prue and Piper. "It reminded me of my apocalypse vision."

Piper wrinkled her brow. "What?"

"Back when…" Her voice trailed off, as she remembered that she'd never actually told Piper what she'd seen when she stopped Piper from saying the spell that would bring Prue and War back from the vortex they'd accidentally been banished to. Instead she just said, "It was bad, Piper, really bad."

Prue bowed her head. She'd almost been lost permanently, because what Phoebe had seen had been so horrific. If the vision Phoebe had just seen was anything like that one, they were in for a whole world of trouble.

Piper let out a little choke. "Wait, did you say mental patients?"

The clairvoyant nodded.

"Oh crap!"

"What?"

"I saw something about that on the news this morning. They had turned on the doctors in the hospital, and I think some of them actually got killed."

"The patients?"

"No, the doctors."

"Then we have to get there and stop them."

"I think Piper and I should go," Paige volunteered. "That way I can get us there, and Piper can freeze and then we'll figure out a way to fix this."

"No." Phoebe shook her head. "I think Piper and Emma should go."

"Emma?"

"Remember," Phoebe glared, "from the alternate reality?" She scratched her head, only then realizing that she hadn't told her sisters, or at least Prue and Piper, about Emma and Alternate Pamela being in their world. "You know what? Nevermind." She cupped her hands over her mouth yelling, "Emma!"

A cloud of bubblegum pink lights descended from the ceiling, forming into the beautiful form of the redheaded mutant, Emma DeLauro. "Have you found anything else out?"

"You and Piper need to get to the mental hospital. Fast! I think your friend has gone and corrupted things there, because I just had a vision of utter chaos, and it was all stemming from the San Francisco Psychiatric Hospital."

Emma's head bobbed towards Piper. In her world, she and Piper were best friends, so the uneasy look on Piper's face was a bit of a shock for her. "Uh, sure. Oaky." She held out her hand. "You wouldn't rather go with your sister, would you?"

Piper quickly shook her head, smiling falsely at the empath. "No, no, I'm fine." The truth was, she wasn't really nervous about going with Emma, so much as going to the psychiatric hospital.

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely!" And after a beat, Piper accepted her hand and vanished in Emma's glowing pink lights.

Prue stared at the empty space, until the pink lights had faded away. She'd known Piper her entire life, and something in her little sister's voice told her that something wasn't right. It was subtle, extremely subtle, and unfortunately the eldest couldn't put her finger on what exactly it was. She also didn't have the time to sit down and try to work it out.

----

"What exactly are we doing here?" Persia glanced up at the street corner: Height and Ashbury. The particular street corner was a rather famous spot in San Francisco, especially among old hippies. It was filled to the hilt with gift shops and places to by relics from the sixties.

"Saving an innocent," the telekinetic said simply.

"Since when do you even get visions of innocents from other worlds?"

"Since I'm in them."

"What exactly triggered the vision?"

"One of the pictures on your nightstand."

Persia twisted her head from side to side, examining both sides of the street. So far, she hadn't seen anyone except for an older couple, who were going into one of the shops. "Which picture?"

The telekinetic squinted. "You and one of your cousins, I think."

"Which one?"

Alternate Pam tapped her shoe in annoyance. "Brown eyes, really dark hair…"

"Pearl."

"What?"

Persia placed her hand to her forehead. "Why would a picture of me and Pearl trigger a premonition of an innocent getting hurt?" She peered around the corner again. "What exactly did you see?"

The telekinetic wandered over to the street corner, and began to wave her arms as she spoke. "I saw one car coming from this way," she pointed towards Height Street, "and one car coming from this way," she waved at Ashbury. "And then suddenly the tire on the car coming from Height blew out and lost control, crashing right into the car coming from Ashbury."

Persia shook her head. "But that doesn't make any sense whatsoever!"

"I'm not asking you to explain it, just help me prevent it." And as soon as the request left her lips, she heard a screech of rubber against blacktop, and ran out into the middle of the road.

"Pam!"

Alternate Pamela's hand flew out in front of her, and a net of telekinetic energy burst from her fingertips, catching the car mid slid and diverting it to the sidewalk, just as the other car from her vision came around the corner, having no idea of the collision that had almost taken place. When the second car was out of sight, she made several complicated motions with her hands as she slowed down the spinning wheels of the car, and then yelled, "Come make sure they're okay!"

Groaning, Persia trotted across the road, coming to a stop at the side of the driver's window. She knocked, and was greeted by the worn face of an elderly gentlemen. "Sir, are you alright?"

The man placed a handkerchief to his mouth and coughed. As the window rolled down, he smiled a near toothless grin. He looked between sixty and seventy, maybe older.

"Are you okay?" She repeated, rather impatiently.

"I'm fine," the old man coughed. He got out of the car, and steadied himself on a wooden cane. "But I don't know what happened. One minute I was driving, and the next I was over here."

Alternate Pamela popped up from the other side of the car, with a false smile on her face. She'd been inspecting the vehicle, while Persia had been taking care of its driver. "I think you had a blowout," she lied.

"Oh." The old man frowned, and coughed into his stained handkerchief again. "But my daughter just bought me new tires."

Persia felt her heart twist. "Do you have someone we could call?" She whipped her cell phone out of the clip on case, on the back of her pants pocket.

The man rattled off a name and number, in between several more coughing attacks. And then he smiled warmly at the two girls. "Thank you."

Persia covered the mouth piece on her cell. "No problem, sir."

"Can you excuse us for a moment?"

"Pam!"

The telekinetic grabbed her friend by the arm, leading her away from the elderly gentleman.

"I'm trying to place a call here!"

She grabbed the cell, flipping it closed. "Look."

"What?"

"At the tire!"

Persia glanced down at the blown out tire, looking utterly confused. "What?"

"Ugh." The college student dropped to her knees and pointed directly at the hole. "That is not a blowout," she said confidently. "It looks more like damage that would be caused by an energy ball."

Suddenly Persia's eyes widened. "Or Aunt Piper's exploding power."

"Oh, shit, Persia look out!" The older witch threw our her hands, followed by a loud crash.

Persia's head snapped around, to see the old man unconscious on the corner of the street. "What the hell did you do to him?" She ran to his side, checking for a pulse. It was there, but faint. And a small cut was bleeding from his bald head.

"He was about to attack you with his cane," she defended with a scowl. "I just save you from getting bludgeoned."

"And that's the last time you're going to interfere with my plans today."

"Oh, you again," Alternate Pamela snarled. She placed her hands on her hips.

"Pam, get down!"

"Wh-" Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a well aimed bolt of neon yellow coming at her, and she jerked backwards, just as it tore through the place where she'd been standing. "Thanks for the warning!" She yelled sarcastically. And then an explosion knocked her to the pavement. When the smoke cleared, she saw Pearl poking out from behind Michelle.

Persia swirled her hands together, and then turned towards the duo. Her hand arched out, and she aimed another electric charge at Michelle.

Michelle stood as still as a statue, not even bothering to move. And then her lips twisted into a malicious grin, and the bolt slowed to a complete stop, hovering just inches from her face. She held up her hand, and then flew back at Persia, sending her sailing through one of the glass windows of an antique store, along the street.

Alternate Pamela struggled to sit up. Pain was shooting through her limbs from the explosion of Persia's electric bolt, which had knocked Pearl's exploding light ball out of the way. She'd been seconds away from being blown to oblivion by an eleven-year-old.

"What's her name?" Michelle inquired, looking to Pearl.

"Persia."

"And she's an electrokinetic?"

Pearl nodded.

Michelle smirked. "This is working out better than I'd expected." She glanced down at Alternate Pamela, and then balled a fist, causing the college student to grab her head in pain. "Persia!" And at her command, a bloodied Persia began to walk robotically towards her.

As Persia reached Michelle, she turned her head helplessly towards her friend. Her eyes were pleading, but she seemed to have lost control of herself. "Help me…"

Michelle flexed her fingers, releasing her apathic hold on the telekinetic. "You can tell Emma that if she wants to keep them alive, then she needs to give me something in return." And then she took ahold of each girl's hand, and left in a swarm of burgundy lights.

_**TO BE CONTINUED….**_


	39. Insane Francisco

A/N: Quick update! Peanut, you and I were totally on the same wavelength here. lol You'll see what I mean as this chapter gets going. And, once again, I must give credit where credit is due. A character will appear in this chapter (only briefly) named Maxwell, and he'll be what's known to any _A Blessing Or A Curse?_ fan as the current Fire Elemental. Again, he is Ross' (**RJF**) creation, not mine. But he is critical in something that happens in this chapter. Oh, and Ross, thank you for "conspiring" with me for the crossover ideas in this chapter. The plot I described to you was by far my favorite Michelle outcome, and I'm so glad that you liked it too, and wanted to go along with it. :-D (P.S. Just in case anyone's confused, "electromancy" is something I came up with. I was doing a Google search for mind based powers several months ago, when I came across something called "pyromancy," which is the name of the ability to control and manipulate fire and its intensity, but NOT create it. So I decided that I'd just change "pyro" to "electro," and use the same concept only with electricity instead of fire. And "technopathy" is a variation of something from the movie _Sky High_. The villain was a "technopath," which meant she could communicate and control technology with her mind, like Michelle, so I just altered the word to make it an actual power, instead of describing the user of the power. I hope that makes sense.)

_**Change Happens**_

**_Chapter 39: Insane Francisco_**

"Are you okay?" Emma hadn't said anything up until that point, but ever since they'd orbed into the psychiatric hospital, Piper had been acting so strangely. Or, maybe it was just the fact that this Piper was different from the one in her own world. However, judging from the unease that saturated the woman beside her, she hypothesized it was something more.

Piper shivered involuntarily. Her mind kept flashing to Alaster, and how he'd nearly tricked her into thinking that she really was a mental patient…one who'd almost done away with the Power of Three, with a single spell. But the sound of the redhead's voice jolted her back to reality. "Yeah," she smiled falsely, "peachy."

Emma shook her head. Had this been her Piper, she would've mouthed off with something sarcastic, as 'peachy' was not part of the Piper vocabulary that she knew so well.

"Do you sense them?"

Emma stopped suddenly, obviously not expecting the brunette's question. "Who?"

"The patients," Piper clarified. "Do you sense them? Are any of them still here, in the hospital?"

Emma frowned. It wasn't until just now that she realized they'd been combing the deserted halls, and she hadn't even thought of using her powers to find them. _Good thinking, Emma. Way to go!_ She placed her fingers to her temples, gently massaging them as she psychically searched for any signs of life.

The Charmed One folded her arms. "Well?"

Lines began to crease Emma's soft facial features. "No."

"No what? No, they aren't here. Or no, you just can't sense them?"

"I can't sense them. Which means Michelle must've gotten to them first. Taken away their ability for me to sense their emotional presence." Emma began to nervously rake her hands through her glossy red hair. "Which would explain your sister's vision. Mentally disturbed people are capable of the unknown. Michelle's powers can make the average mortal go insane on their own. So-"

"Coupling that girl's powers with an already mentally disturbed person is catastrophic?" Piper interjected. "Not to mention that they're already jacked up on all those drugs that they get in these places."

"So how do we get them un-Michelled?" Piper stopped at one of the white doors along the long corridor that they were walking down. She pressed her face to the glass, peaking inside. Her hand moved ever so slowly to the door handle.

"I think I might be able to reverse her effects, or at least cancel them out, with a few empathic blasts of my own."

"Emma?" She jiggled the handle, and it slowly swung open, much to her surprise. As Piper moved to step inside, she felt something on her neck. It was hot…and almost wet. "E-Emma?" And then she heard a low, raspy nose. It was barely detectable to her ear, but due to the high alert that her senses were now on, she'd picked up on it quickly. She ducked. Her left leg swung out in a half circle as soon as her right hand caught the waxy floor, and she kept balance by placing the majority of her weight on the right side of her body.

There was a thump. Piper's leg had swept into the ankle of a small man with wiry black hair, hairless bony white legs, and wild brown eyes. Literally. As he fell on his tailbone, his eyeballs rolled around their sockets in opposite directions. His mental problems clearly merged into the physical as well. He was a frighteningly bony creature, wearing only a papery white hospital-like gown. His lips were large, very Angelina Jolie, and quite parched.

Piper let out a little shriek, as she grabbed the edge of the door and attempted to hoist herself up. As her hand wrapped around the handle, she felt a skeletal hand wrap around her fleshy ankle. Through her peripheral vision, she could see that both the arm and hand were nothing but a skeleton, with an epidermal layer. It sent chills up her spine. With adrenalin pumping through her body, she viciously kicked at the hand's owner, landing her two in heel directly into the man's throat.

He screeched as he felt his Adam's apple press against the back of his throat, causing his hold on Piper to loosen enough for her to break free. He grabbed at his throat, gasping as a red shoe print began to redden across his pasty skin.

Cringing, the brunette threw up her hands, bringing the choking man to a halt. She skirted past his frozen form, which took up ninety percent of the doorway, and found herself back in the white hall. "Emma?" Her brown eyes fell to the floor, catching a clump of red hair out of the corner of her eye. "Oh no!" She knelt down, patting Emma's face with her hand. "Hey, please, you've got to wake up!"

Emma's blue eyes fluttered, as she came to. At first things seemed a little fuzzy, but before long she could see Piper's worried face staring down at her.

"Thank goodness!"

"What happened?" The empath asked groggily.

"I don't know. One minute I was talking to you, and the next you were lying on the ground and that guy," the brunette pointed to the frozen man in the doorway, "was hovering behind me."

Emma turned towards the man, squinting her eyes.

"What're you doing?"

"Scanning his mind."

"For what?"

"To find out what he…" The mutant's face suddenly fell. "Vietnam," she murmured. "He landed in here before of delusions." Emma reached her hand around her neck. "He used some type of military move on me," she explained, "he applied pressure somewhere in here to cause me to fall unconscious."

Piper's nose wrinkled. "Guess the military is full of secrets, isn't it?"

"What color were his eyes?"

"Come again?"

"What color were his eyes," Emma asked. She stumbled to her full height, and pressed her weight against the wall as she got her bounds.

"I don't know." Piper moved back into the room, ever so careful not to disturb the statue-like patient that sat on the floor. Then she frowned. "Reddish-purple."

"Burgundy?"

Piper began to nod slowly. "Yeah."

"That means Michelle already got to him."

"So, like I said before you so rudely fell to the ground, how do we fix him."

"Like this." A white globe of psionic energy appeared above Emma's head. With a nod of her head, the globe was sent on a direct path into the back of the frozen man's skull, and he unfroze with a small gasp.

Piper jumped back. Her hands flung out in front of her, just in case she needed to freeze the patient again. Thankfully, he was still too preoccupied with the damage she'd caused to his throat. Then a twang pierced her heart. She felt slightly bad for the poor guy, despite the fact that he'd scared the crap out of her at first. And then she noticed his eyes. "Hey," she grinned, "they're back to normal!"

Emma beckoned for Piper to follow her out of the room. "Good. One down, a thousand more to go."

"God, I hope not." As Piper stepped out of the room, she saw Emma turn the corner down the hall. "Wait! What are we supposed to do about him?" And she jumped as the man began to float towards the empty bed inside the room. Once he was safely there, the door promptly shut in Piper's face, followed by a click, letting the witch know that the door was locked. "Thank you!" She hollered. And then she scurried down the hall to catch up with the mutant. She didn't want to be alone in this crazy place.

----

Dirty red-purple orbs appeared far atop the rusty colored Golden Gate Bridge, forming into Michelle and the two Halliwell cousins. A wicked smile was plastered onto her dark lips. From up here, she could wreck the most havoc. She stepped forward, leaving Persia and Pearl on the center of the thick piece of dark red metal.

She peered over the side, seeing all of the unsuspecting vehicles below. They looked like tiny, colored ants. She smirked. The mutant's eyes caught one car, she couldn't tell for sure, but she thought it looked red. Either way, it was now locked into her sight. Michelle's arm rose, and she dipped her fingers towards the vehicle. Instantly, the moving dot halted on its high speed journey across the bridge. Within seconds, her smile broadened as she saw another car slam into it, causing a plume of black smoke to rise between the vehicles.

Michelle's initial power had been technopathy. It enabled her to communicate telepathically with machines, and control them. Over time, just like Emma, she'd grown far more powerful. She'd even gained a new power: electromancy. This power allowed her to control and manipulate electricity. It was by combining these extreme abilities that she was able to not only control Persia's electrical attacks, but also control the electrokinetic herself.

"Lightning!" Michelle spun to face the Child of Light, commanding the teen to summon her an electrical storm. Her hand arched towards Persia, using her powers to force the girl's compliance.

Persia's arms snapped towards the sky, and despite the mental fight she put up, Michelle was too powerful. Her fingers began to curl and flex, and her hair began to blow wildly around her head as static electricity burst from very being. The sky lit up as a single flash of lightning appeared in the blue sky. Following it, blood rushed from Persia's nostrils. And then again fork of neon lightning appeared, this time brighter, and lasting several seconds longer than the previous.

"Again!" Michelle's entire body tingled. The girl was so powerful. And this time she'd seize onto that power in order to help complete her destructive rampage.

Persia's mouth ripped so wide that it would've been possible for her to fit her entire fist into it. Her scream was almost as loud as thunder itself. And her eyes squinted into two, small slits. This time the sky ripped open for a shocking bolt to appear. It almost looked like the arm of some mighty being, dropping down towards earth to destroy it with one mighty swipe. And then blood flooded from her nose, coating the entire front of her shirt in a red veil. She might as well of had a bucket of pig's blood thrown onto her, and it wouldn't have looked any different.

Michelle curled her fist, using her electromancist powers to increase the intensity of the bolt, and hold onto it so that it couldn't flash away. And then she pounded her fist into the air as if she were banging a gavel. The lightning bolt tore out of the sky and slammed into the center of the Golden Gate Bridge, before fizzling away.

Staring down, the telecyber could see the smoke that was billowing from the gaping black hole in the center of the bridge. The sound of skidding breaks and blaring horns were music to her ears. But what she liked most was ceiling the cars pile up as they smashed into one other, forming a reverse domino effect. "This will definitely get Emma's attention," she croaked. "With all this pain, she won't be able to stand it much longer."

----

The breaks screeched. "Oooh." Glenn rubbed his shoulder, moving along down his chest in a diagonal line. "What the hell was that for?" His eyes flicked to Andy. "I can already tell I'm going to have bruise here tomorrow."

Andy lifted his hand, flipping it towards the scene in front of them. "Well, I could've rear ended the van in front of us, or I could've slammed on the breaks."

"Did you have to try and kill me in the process?"

"I figured bruising you was less expensive than totaling that van."

"It might not have been totaled," Glenn grumbled. His balanced his right elbow on the arm right, and then set his chin in his palm, so that he could look outside his side window comfortably. "What's going on out there, anyway? Why has traffic stopped?"

"Who're you talking to? The mouse in your pocket?" Andy shifted his car into park, and then pulled his foot from the break. "How am I supposed to know. Phoebe's the psychic."

Glenn reached for the radio, pressing the button for the A.M. station, and then craning the dial until he found the one he always listened to.

"We'll be back in a few moments with another update…"

Andy groaned. "It would be just our luck that it would go to commercial, just when you turn it on."

Glenn snorted. "We live a charmed life, isn't it?"

"No," Andy sighed, "only a semi-charmed life."

Glenn reached up, flipping down his visor so that he could access the small mirror on the reverse side. "Do you have a spare toothpick?"

Andy leaned back in his chair, slightly disgusted. "You're really going to pick your teeth in front of me?"

Glenn grabbed a grease spotted In-N-Out Burger bag from the floor. "They've got good burgers, but I always get little burger bits-"

"Okay, okay!" Andy leaned across Glenn, reaching into his glove box and pulled out a small bottle full of wooden toothpicks. "Take your pick. Just don't make that sucking noise that Phoebe makes when she picks her teeth."

Glenn snickered. "I won't, I promise." He popped off the lid and pulled out a toothpick. "I make more of a slopping noise." Upon his friend's disgusted grin, he tossed the bottle back into the glove compartment and turned his attention back up to the mirror. "There's a-"

Andy's neck snapped forward, with a sizable crack. His chest grazed the steering wheel, before the seatbelt slapped him back into the driver's seat, causing his neck bones to crack again. Out of his peripheral vision, he could see that Glenn had experienced the same. But it wasn't over. He was pinned to his seat as his car lurched forward, slamming into the car he'd worked so hard not to crash into, all because of the multiple car collision that had taken place behind him and Glenn.

----

Phoebe and Paige tore around a corner street in Chinatown, coming up on a small seafood restaurant. Phoebe eyes brown eyes enlarged as she smacked her sister. "Oh, Paige, the gun! The gun!"

Paige's fingers spread out as she tossed her hand out in front of her. "Gun!" And soon the heavy weight of a metal gun appeared in her hands out of a blue glow.

"What the fuck?" The man who'd previously held the gun, the only one in a black ski mask, stared confusedly down at his now empty hands. Then he swirled around to see who was behind, as the female voices he'd heard had just been talking about a gun.

Paige smiled sheepishly as she pointed the gun at the man's face. "Hands up?"

A heavy black bag, filled to the hilt with cash, dropped from his hands and landed with a splat at his feet. Dirty, fish smelling water that had drained from the floor of the restaurant during it's cleaning, splashed up onto the black cuffs of his pant legs. The burglar's hands lifted to the sky. "Wh-what are you?"

"The good guys," Paige said with a shrug. She shook the gun, waving it towards the brick wall. "Hands on the wall, buddy." She glanced at her sister. "Pheebs."

"Oh! Right." The precognitive grabbed the bag of loot, and wandered over to the entrance to the restaurant. As she stepped inside, she saw a flood of people on the ground, with her hands covering their heads. She shook her head. "This is worse than I thought," she murmured. She'd already had a flood of premonitions that she, Paige, and Prue had already taken care of over the last hour. And even as she stood there in the doorway, Prue was off somewhere taking care of another vision she'd had. "It's alright," she announced. "I'm here to help." She held up the bag of money to prove her point.

----

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Cole Turner leaned lazily against one of the brick walls that lined the alley he was currently in. In his right hand, he bounced a neon yellow energy ball.

"And just what do you think you're going to do about it, Belthazor?"

Cole's expression remained bored. And then in a swift motion, the demon he'd just been conversing with was screaming in agony as supernatural flames consumed him. The energy ball was gone from his hand. The half demon resisted the urge to laugh. He'd spent a long time trying to suppress his dark side, and he didn't want to give into the joy of killing now. Even if it had been for the right reasons.

The woman, who'd previously been held at knife point, was now cowering in the far corner of the alley. Small cuts and bruises lined her arms and face. Apparently she'd fought her demonic attacker, and she'd fought hard.

Cole took a few cautious strides towards the woman. "Are you alright?"

Shrinking to the ground, she covered her head and sobbed, "Please don't kill me!"

He froze in surprise. His heart leapt a little faster. He'd almost forgotten what it felt like to be so powerful that people stooped to beginning. Almost. "It's okay," he said softly. "The Charmed Ones sent me."

The woman poked her cowering head up from under her arms. "The Charmed Ones?" She craned her neck, and some of her dirty blonde hair fell away shoulder. It revealed a small pentacle made to look like a green rose stem, complete with a blooming red rose in the pentacle's center.

Cole offered his hand, which was taken after a long beat, and steadied the witch. "Are you okay?"

She nodded solemnly. "Thank you." Then her gaze shifted past Cole, out to the street. "The Charmed Ones," she said slowly, "do they know what's going on out there?"

Cole pursed his lips, debating on how much to tell this woman. "They have a pretty good idea," he finally settled.

"It's really bad."

"I know." Cole bowed his head. "Look, there's no time for me to stay and chat. There are-"

"Go." The blonde began to walk towards the street. "I understand."

Cole nodded. He'd done a lot of good in the years following the fateful day he'd met Phoebe. But something about this one, despite the catastrophic circumstances that were taking place all around him, felt so much more special. She'd actually thanked him, a demon, for saving her. He shimmered out, thinking about how good it felt to be praised for his actions.

----

In all the commotion, nobody seemed to notice the ruby flare that appeared at the guardrail of the Golden Gate Bridge. When Astral Prue appeared, she was immediately assaulted by the stench of charred remains, flaming wreckage, and foul black smoke. It was definitely a horrific sight to be seen, even for a Charmed One.

The astral projection stepped cautiously onto the blacktop. The traffic, as far as her blue eyes could see on either side of the road, had been ground to a halt. People were screaming, running, and dying or dead all around her.

"Help me!"

"Oh my God! She's dead!"

"Please, just stay with me a little longer…please…"

"No! No, God, no! Why?"

"The apocalypse is upon us!"

"Help!"

Astral Prue whipped her head from side to side, not sure which way she should or could go first. It was a disaster. "How could she have done all this?" Her eyes lifted to the sky, as if expecting an answer. When she received none, she returned her attention muti-car pile ups. Her attention was immediately drawn to what looked like a very pregnant woman, who was being held back from a burning car.

"My baby's in that car! I have to get to my little girl. Let me go!"

The astral bit back on her lip. She wasn't sure if the little girl could've survived a wreck like that, but she had to try and find out. So she ran past the woman and grabbed onto the side of the charred door. It seemed to be jammed, so she gave it a small telekinetic push, and it fell off its hinges.

"Wait!"

Prue's head whipped around to see one of the men who'd been holding back the mother.

"Let me." He gently pushed her aside, and climbed into the van. Within seconds, he'd disappeared into the backseats.

Astral Prue turned to the hysteric woman. She moved to her quietly, and placed a comforting arm around the woman's neck and shoulders. It was really all she could do to console her. That, and pray that her daughter would be okay.

"Maggy!" The woman shrieked, ripping away from the astral projection as soon as the man emerged from the burning car, holding a coughing and soot covered little girl.

"Is she alright?"

The man smiled at Astral Prue and held out his hand to shake hers. "Yeah, I think she'll be fine." He shook his head, disbelieving. "I don't know how you got that door off, we all tried and it was completely jammed. But thank you."

"You're a miracle worker." It was the mother. Tears were ribbing down her face as she clutched her coughing child.

"You're welcome," the astral smiled. "I'm just glad she's okay." She suddenly waved down the bridge. "I, uh, I've gotta go…"

"Yes," the mother smiled brightly, "go save someone else. I know that's what you're here to do. You're an angel."

Astral Prue turned away. It was the second time in her life that she'd been called an angel by one of the innocent people that she'd saved. And then she heard a scream. Her head whipped around, just as a man leapt off the Golden Gate. Gasping, she ran to the guardrail and leaned over as far as she could. He was just out of her grasp. Then a few more inches, followed by a few more. Her fingers flexed, and the man became suspended in the air, before reversing his descent and coming back up just enough for the astral to grab his hand.

He was a strikingly young man, with dark hair and deep blue eyes. And he gasped as he felt the projection's hand wrap around his. He honestly thought he'd been done for. His decision to jump had been a rash one. His car had been totaled in one of the wrecks, his only real possession which he couldn't afford insurance on. And so he'd ran to the edge and jumped. As soon as his feet left the side, he'd known it was a mistake. But he also knew that nobody could possibly save him now. At least, he thought nobody could.

"I'm gonna help you back over," Astral Prue called. And with one hand she grabbed onto the railing to steady herself, while the other began to pull on his arm. He was very heavy, even for the skinny young man that he was. So she squinted her eyes, giving her the helping pull that she needed, and he flew up and over the railing.

The man landed with a thump on the blacktop. His body ached, but he knew it would've hurt far worse had he landed in the water. Although it wouldn't have been for long. He placed both his hands on the ground and pushed himself up. "Thank y-" But he didn't see her anywhere. It was like, she'd saved him and just vanished into thin air. His eyes lifted skyward. "An angel."

----

A shiny silver Porsche pulled up in front of the Halliwell Manor. Alternate Pamela sat in the front, black leather seat. A look of irritation was evident on her face. It had taken her three times longer to get here than it normally should have, all because streets were closed off due to wrecks and pile ups. That, and she was a little rusty at hot wiring. Where eve Michelle had taken her friend, the keys to Persia's Porsche had gone with her.

The driver's side door flew open, and the dark haired college student jumped out. She had almost stooped to literally crossing her fingers, hoping that someone was home. If not, she'd just have to consult this world's Book of Shadows by herself. And maybe, if she was lucky, find something that could help her.

She reached the door, smacking it several times, only to receive no answer. "Oh, for crying out loud!" Alternate Pam flipped her wrist, sending both doors flying open, making way for her entrance. "Anybody home?" She cupped her hands around her mouth. "Hello!" And when no answer came, she began to trot up the stairs towards the attic. "The Book is probably in the same place in any world," she mused aloud. In fact, she was so busy talking to herself that she didn't see Prue come around the corner, and smacked right into her.

"Whoa!" Prue held up her hands. "Where did you come from?"

Alternate Pam stopped short, staring wide eyed at the older witch. She knew that this woman wasn't her mother, yet some of the same angry feelings began to well up deep inside her heart. "Prue," she said a little too harshly.

Prue cocked her head to the side, examining the girl. "I remember you," she said slowly, "Persia's friend?"

The twenty-year-old nodded. "Uh, right. Persia's friend." Just saying the words briefly cleared her mind. "Persia! Michelle took her!"

"What?" Prue was already on her way to the attic.

"I have to find Emma. She's the only one who can help. But she's not answering my calls."

Prue burst through the attic, not even waiting to get to the Book. She brought it to her. "Emma." The pages began to whir. "Emma and Piper are at the mental hospital."

"The mental hospital?"

Prue flicked her wrist towards a shelf where the map of San Francisco and their scrying crystal was kept. "It's on that map. A little passed Fisherman's Warf."

"Why are they there?"

"Because we think Michelle has used her powers on its patients. The story's all over the news. The patients have already killed four people, including two doctors, so they went down there to try and reverse Michelle's effects."

"Then I don't understand why she didn't just come when I called her…"

----

"Agh!" Emma rubbed her throbbing temples. She and Piper had been down so many hallways that she'd lost count a long time ago. And as they walked, her mind and body seemed to be getting more tired and more painful.

"Emma?"

"I can't take this!" Emma threw out her arms. "This is taking too long!" She closed her eyes and her body began to emanate a soft pink glow.

Piper pulled back. "Wh-what're you doing?"

"Piper," she said forcefully, "just please don't interrupt me right now!"

"You're scaring me."

"You should be scared. This is no time for games." The glow spread across her body, now becoming a throbbing pink; almost as bright as her empathic orbs themselves. And then the air around her began to visibly ripple and pulse as immense amounts of psychic magic pulsated from her.

Her cherry red hair began to fly around her head as psychokinetic energy picked up around them, causing the entire mental hospital to shake as if an earthquake were suddenly striking on its foundations. And then a nova-like blast of white hot energy ripped from her body. It expanded in large, circular ripples, like ripple on a pond. The energy tore through the walls, causing them to bend and move but not actually break. Her power was meant just for the hospital and all its inhabitants. She would take care of them all with one mighty psionic blast.

----

Michelle staggered backwards. All at once, emotions came emotion came flooding back to a horde of people that she'd previously taken it away from. "Emma!" She snarled. Apparently the empath was more powerful than she'd anticipated. "Well," she said slowly, "so am I."

And her arms extended towards the city that lay before her. Her eyes began to glow a blue-white color, and then a beam of cyber energy pulsated from her eyes and darted across the bridge, blowing a hole straight through one of the cables that helped to hold up the landmark. Then with a swish of her hand, every technological invention in San Francisco ceased to function. "Come on, Emma! Stop playing around. Come and find me!"

A copper-gold sheen exploded from her body, wrapping her from head to toe in the bright light. Her entire body had transformed into what appeared to be a curvatious robot. A golden-copper armor covered every surface of her body, and her eyes remained the frightening blue-white holes.

----

Piper moaned as she came too. "Emma?" The brunette blinked her eyes several times before asking, "What happened? Why am I on the floor?"

"I accidentally took you out with my psionic blast."

"You what?" The Charmed One practically screeched.

"I had no other choice! The pain across San Francisco was becoming too great for me, and I had to do something! Besides, just wandering around the hospital was taking way too long."

"So you just…"

"Took in all the pain from the city, and in a sense recycled it. I used myself as a vessel to send it right back out, and it sent a shockwave of emotion through the mental hospital, catching all of Michelle's victims in one fail swoop. So I took care of everything we've been working on for the last few hours, in a few minutes."

Piper folded her arms, glowering at the redhead. "So why didn't you do this earlier? I mean, why drag me through here when you could've taken care of it all at once?"

"On the contrary," the psionic disagreed. "I was only able to do it when the pain of the majority of the city was at its worst. And up until a little while ago, it wasn't." She offered her hand. "But I can promise you that it's slowly creeping back up." Emma lifted her hands towards the darkened halls. "Notice anything different?"

"The lights aren't on."

"Michelle's put a stop to all the electricity in the city. Everything electrical, and modernly technological like cars or cell phones won't work."

"Shit!"

"You can say that again." Emma grabbed Piper's wrist. "C'mon. We should get back to your house. Pamela's been calling me, and up until now, I couldn't come." Before she could protest, they'd vanished in a plume of bubblegum pink orbs.

----

"Where the hell have you been?" Alternate Pamela blasted. "I've been calling you for almost an hour!"

"I was saving innocents," the empath snapped. She looked to Prue and then to Piper. "Which is what I need to get back to."

"How?"

"Just trust me." Emma beckoned to the college student. "You need to come with me, Pam. I need you to open up the portal to our world."

"But-"

"Do you want to save your friend or not?"

"You know where she is?"

Emma's head bobbed up, seeing Phoebe and Paige in the doorway. "Yes."

"Then we're going with you."

"No! Michelle's too dangerous."

"She's my daughter," Phoebe growled. Her dark brown eyes bore into Emma's polished blue ones. "We're coming."

"Where is she?" Paige asked cautiously.

"At the top of the Golden Gate Bridge." Taking Alternate Pam's hand she said, "We'll meet you there then." And she pink orbed.

"The Golden Gate Bridge?" Paige repeated in disbelief.

"Well what are you waiting for?" Phoebe shook her sister's arm. "Orb!"

"Not without us!" Prue and Piper chorused.

Paige offered her hands, completing a circle with her sisters. Her orbs engulfed them, sending them towards the ceiling and beyond, following Emma's orb trail towards the top of San Francisco's most famous landmark.

----

"This ends now!" Emma curled her fist before the pink glow around her had even faded, and upon stepping out of the cloud of lights that had transported her to the top of the bridge, she sent her fist into her former friend's jaw.

Blood sprayed from Michelle's mouth and lips as the redhead's fist pounded into her flesh, instantly bruising the tender facial tissue. She smiled wickedly. "It's about time you got here, Em," she snarled as she cupped her newest wound.

"I'm taking you back home. You don't belong in this world!"

"Not even you can fix the damage I've caused here!" Michelle curled her fingers and pressed her palms outwards, shoving Emma in the chest and knocking her towards the edge of the rust colored metal beam.

"Wanna bet?" Emma teetered on the edge for a minute, before grabbing a clump of Michelle's hair and using Michelle's weight to drag herself back onto the center of the beam. In a quick movement, she had the telecyber locked in a choke hold. "Pam! Start the damn spell!" And just as she'd done in the psychiatric hospital, her body began to glow a soft pink as she absorbed the pain and suffering that still existed in San Francisco.

"Wh-what's this?" The apath choked. She could feel Emma's strong arm cutting off her oxygen supply. Not that it would kill her of course, but it could knock her out. And then Emma could do away with her. That wasn't something she was willing to let happen. Michelle curled her fist, and then slammed her hard elbow into Emma's gut, catching the empath off guard. Grinning, she broke free of Emma's gasp as the psionic stumbled towards the edge of the beam.

"Emma!" Persia, bloodied and weak, lunged for her red haired friend and grabbed her hand as the empath slipped over the top of the bridge.

Alternate Pamela broke her concentration, stopping the spell to grab ahold of Persia and hoist her and Emma back onto the beam. Her eyes flicked back to Michelle, who appeared to be ready to hit Emma with a cyber blast. Her hand flew out and the apathic mutant sailed into the side of the beam, knocking her head on the orange-red corner and drawing a bloody wound.

Emma threw open her arms, finally piquing as her body exploded in a pink glow, sending another explosive blast of psychic energy from her person. But this time it was about ten times more powerful than it had been in the mental hospital. This time the blinding glow shot across the entire Golden Gate Bridge, engulfed the bay, and tore across all of San Francisco.

Persia and Alternate Pamela joined hands and began to chant simultaneously. When the blinding glow of Emma's powers finally faded, a glowing blue Triquetra portal appeared in front of them.

Emma turned away from the apath, who was slowly coming to after having fallen unconscious from the combination of the blast and the wound that Alternate Pamela had caused to her head. Her focus was on Pearl, who up until that point had remained completely stationary during the whole set of events.

Now Pearl was lying face up on the orange beam, with her eyes frozen to the sky. Emma DeLauro's heart gave a little jump when she realized that Pearl's irises were no longer burgundy, but their normal chocolate brown. Emma looked sympathetically at Paige. "She'll be fine. You just need to watch and wait for her to wake up on her own."

"Emma!"

Emma closed her eyes. _Michelle._ She gave a little sigh, without turning back to face the brunette. And then she used her powers to force Michelle through the portal that Persia and Alternate Pamela had opened up. "I'm sorry," she said truthfully. Her eyes washed over the Halliwells' faces. "I couldn't fix everything, but I did what I could." She marched over to the portal and put one leg through. "I can take care of everything from here." And then she disappeared inside the pulsating Triquetra, allowing it to seal itself behind her.

Piper wandered close to the edge of the red-orange beam, gazing down at the destruction that had taken place across the city. Turning her head towards her sisters she asked, "How're we going to explain this?"

Persia staggered to her feet. She was so exhausted that she had to lean her friend for support. "I think I have an idea."

----Alternate Reality----

To her surprise, the portal had not taken Emma back to Pamela's apartment as she had thought it would. In fact, it had not even taken her to the top of the Golden Gate. It had, however, transported both her and Michelle into the kitchen of the Halliwell Manor in her world. During the few critical seconds that her mind had pondered the thought, she failed to notice that Michelle was up and flailing her arm at her.

Emma clutched her throat as one of Michelle's apathic blast passed through her. She soon found herself on her knees, with Michelle towering over her. The psionic mutant let out a small gasp. Her arm swung out, bashing into Michelle's legs and knocking her to the floor. As the redhead used the edge of the island to pull herself up, she heard the sound of the front doors creek open.

"Piper! I'm here for that meeting you were talking about."

_Maxwell?_ The mutant swung her head towards the entrance to the kitchen. She could hear his footsteps getting louder. "Oh crap!" She didn't need anyone else getting hurt today. And then Emma felt a sharp pain in her side. Looking down, she could see white-blue cyber energy burning into her flesh. She let out a small utterance, before dropping out of the cyber path and allowing it to finish off a hole on the opposite side of the room. She heard Maxwell's feet quicken their pace, and then caught his profile from the corner of her eye as he ran into the kitchen.

"Michelle?"

"Maxwell?" The glowing white-blue eyes faded, revealing the dark irises she was born with. The copper-gold armor that seemed so impenetrable faded, revealing the soft and curvy body of a woman. A woman who, despite her magical status, still appeared to have some emotion hidden deep inside her.

The momentary shock that washed over Michelle, and her lapse in concentration, gave Emma just the opportunity she needed. The ground beneath her feet began to shake with psychokinetic pressure, literally knocking Michelle to the floor. Then the empath moved quickly to her side, hovering over her with a bright beam of psionic energy bouncing above her blue eyes.

Michelle's eyes seemed to roll back in her head and then clouded with the familiar white-blue cyber light.

"I'm sorry Michelle," Emma whispered. And then shot the beam into her friend's forehead. It filled the room with a blinding light. A single tear escaped the empath's eye as her former best friend convulsed under her power.

----

"Mommy!" The little boy was roughly three-years-old. He had thick, coal black hair and dark steely gray eyes. If his father had known about him, he would've also known that he looked just like him. His rounded face contorted into a mixture of red blotches and streaked tears. A small oil tanker dropped from his pudgy hand and hit the floor with a thump. His head whipped around, and his face caught the ghostly blue-white glow of the computer as it flickered to life.

He wiped his nose on his sleeve, leaving a small trail of snot on the checkered sleeve. "Mommy?" He mewed, staring anxiously at the screen. His little hand arched out and his fingers caressed the screen, leaving oily fingerprints behind.

'Mason.'

Mason's lip trembled. "No leave me," he begged. And as he spoke, his words appeared on the glowing screen under his name.

'Mommy loves you.'

'Mason loves mommy.'

This time the words vanished from the screen. There was only a glowing blue background. And then a rectangular box appeared in the center of the screen, and slowly a picture began to form. It was fuzzy and pixilated at first, and then within seconds, it was as clear as day: dark messy black hair, handsome gray eyes, and dark blue oil blotched overalls over a dingy white cotton t-shirt. 'Maxwell,' was typed underneath the photo.

Mason ran his dirty fingers across the pictures. He outlined it with his index finger. The picture mesmerized him. It looked exactly like him…if he was big. A few more tears squeezed from his eyes. "Daddy?" And again, as he spoke, his question wrote itself on screen.

'Find daddy.' And after several seconds, the picture faded away, only for a shady whitish, crackling outline to take its place. It was the profile of a woman's face. Although it wasn't detailed, it was clear that there was a sad smile on her face. And then it slowly changed into the outline of a hand, smack dab in the center of the screen.

Sobbing now, Mason attempted to align his hand and fingers with the slim, slender ones on the screen. His was too small, though, and too chubby. "Me loves you," he sniffled. And then the screen died. The computer shut off. His mom was gone, and despite his three-year-old status, he knew it.

The toddler stumbled clumsily over to his oil tanker toy, plucked it from the floor and held it tightly to his chest. "Daddy," he choked. He wasn't sure where he was supposed to start looking for his daddy, but his mom had told him to do so. And Mason always did what him mom asked him to do.

With a little scream of anger and pain, a wall of burgundy flames rose up around the small boy, engulfing him in a roar of heat. They were going to take him away from his home, the only place he'd ever known for al of his three years. And when they'd finally vanished, they left not even a scorch mark behind. It was as if little Mason Bigelow had never been there at all.

----

"You know her?" Emma asked incredulously.

Maxwell knelt down to the floor, staring at the waves of brown hair he'd ran his hand through so many times before. "About three and a half years ago, just a while after I became the new Fire Elemental, I met Michelle. She was one of the electricians that was sent to inspect our oil tanker before we took it to sea."

He gently stroked the bruised cheek in which Emma had bashed her fist into. "I really liked her, and we ended up having a short fling for about a month. Then she just up and broke things off. I haven't seen or heard from her until…today." Maxwell's hand cupped as he covered it above her head. Her eyes were still frozen open, and with a swift motion of his hand, he closed them. They hadn't been a very serious relation, but he had liked Michelle Bigelow very much. It hurt to see her like this. It hurt a lot.

"I think I should probably go," he said slowly. The Fire Elemental stood up, turning away from the cooling body of his ex-girlfriend. This just wasn't right. He couldn't believe that she was gone. She'd been so fun, so full of life when they'd dated. Shaking his head, he silently wondered why the world had to be so cruel. _Magic_, he thought bitterly. _Some say it's a blessing…but I think it's more of a curse._

----Real World----

Alternate Pamela poked her head into the bedroom. "Are you almost ready?"

Persia was lying on her back, with a cold wash rag to her nose. "Yeah. I think it's all bled out." She pulled the cloth away, reveal only a few drops that had soaked into the blue material. She slowly sat up. "I wish I knew why this happened every time I summoned lightning."

The telekinetic shrugged. "You don't exactly need to be worrying about that right now."

"True."

Alternate Pam pointed her index finger towards the television at the front of the room. The 'Power' button seemed to press itself, before the T.V. flickered to life. "Your idea worked."

"We're here, live, on the Golden Gate Bridge. Behind us, ambulances are helping the hurt and stranded who fell victim to today's earlier electrical storm. It was the most powerful electrical storm ever recorded! Just hours earlier, all of San Francisco was left without electricity…"

The telekinetic lazily twisted her finger, shutting off the television. "And Emma was able to fix a lot of the mainland damage with whatever psychic mojo she pulled out of her hat."

"That's good."

Alternate Pamela offered a hand, slowly helping the Child of Light off the bed. She studied her friend for several minutes before asking, "Are you ready to go?"

Persia nodded. "Thanks again for agreeing to come with me."

"No problem," she said truthfully. "I want to." Her hand slipped to her back pocket, feeling that the court papers were still there. "Lets get this day over with, shall we?"

"Gladly." The electrokinetic followed her friend out of the room. Now all she had to do was get through this trial, and she could leave this day behind her.

_**TO BE CONTINUED….**_


	40. Judgment Bay

A/N: I haven't purposely been making you gals and guys wait. First of all, I'd like to apologize for that. There's just been a lot of BS going on offline (family drama), and I haven't had a whole lot of time for pleasure writing. (School, school, school. Egh.) But I'm making an honest effort to get all caught up. This, my friends, is the last chapter of FAC: CH. Lucky for you, I already have the first chapter of the sequel complete. Keep your eyes open for _Four's A Charm: The Akashic Heiress_. Now, on with the finale!

_**Change Happens**_

**_Chapter 40: Judgment Bay_**

The infant's face contorted as she wailed sob after agonizing sob. Her face was so scrunched, and skin so red, that it almost looked like her entire face was sprinkled with crushed red velvet.

"Shh, shh," Prue whispered fruitlessly. She bounced the infant on her hip in a vain attempt to quite the screaming child. Her family was already inside, as Persia's trial had begun roughly twenty minutes earlier. Unfortunately, Andy and Glenn had not arrived as planned. She had agreed to wait outside for them, as she couldn't exactly sit in the front row with a sobbing baby in her arms. Besides, something deep within her gut told her that something wasn't right. She just couldn't put her finger on what it was.

Prue shifted the screaming babe in her arms, quickly glancing at her wrist watch as she did so. "Half an hour late," she said aloud. Her striking blue eyes shifted to the parking lot. It was scarily empty for this time of day, but that was probably due to the wreckage wrought by Michelle and, unwittingly, Persia.

Suddenly her eyes flickered and she let out a little gasp. _What if they got caught in the…_ She quickly shook her head, refusing to think such thoughts about Andy and her brother-in-law. _They probably just got held up in traffic._ She began to rub long, slow circles on Phaelinna's small back. "They probably just got held up in traffic, baby girl. Nothing to worry about. Nothing at all." But her eyes found themselves back on the near empty lot. She had everything to worry about.

----

Alternate Pamela's knuckles had gone completely white. Her long, slender fingers were wrapped around the railing that separated the viewers from the main trial. She was in the first row, right next to the isle. She had purposely chosen that seat so that she could get a good view of Dane Burnham as he passed by her.

He was a real piece of work. At the trial, he sat perfectly still at the defense table, looking like the perfect young man. He wore a dark blue, tailored suit and a crisp white dress shirt. His auburn hair was cleanly washed and freshly trimmed, accentuating his striking hazel eyes.

It was stark contrast to the neon orange jumpsuit, messy red-brown bangs, and scruffy white tennis shoes the alternate witch had seen him wearing on a news clip just a few hours earlier. Granted, Persia had said that it had been footage shot a month earlier, but still. She could see why Persia, Phoebe, and even Cole had all trusted the teenager. Had she met him on the street looking like he did at this particular moment in time, she guessed that she would have been impressed as well.

The telekinetic's eyes lifted to her friend. A pang pierced the pit of her stomach. She wished that there was some magical way to get this over sooner, if only for Persia's sake. _And_, she thought bitterly, _I could probably pull it off if I didn't have personal gain hanging over my head._ She returned her hateful stare to the back of Dane's head. He was lucky she had cyrokinetic abilities, and not their fiery counterpart, otherwise she would have given a whole new meaning to the phrase about burning a hole into the back of someone's head.

"…Dane Burnham to the stand."

Alternate Pam craned her head, catching the last part of the defense lawyer's sentence. She'd been so lost in her thoughts about Dane, that she'd completely spaced out about what was going on in the front of the room. _Well_, she thought as she removed her tight hands from the railing, _this should be one hell of a story! This must be a last ditch effort if they're willing to put him on the stand._

Persia's muscles tightened, and her posture became visibly more rigid. The scrape of the four wooden legs on Dane's chair as he slid it away from the defense table seemed to scream in her ears. Her nervous fear made her think she could actually feel the vibrations of his footsteps…and maybe she could, she didn't really know. Reality and her own fears were so hard to distinguish at the moment.

And then he passed her. Her nostrils flared a little as she inhaled the scent of his Curve cologne. It was the same scent he'd worn that fateful night, and she was sure he'd chosen it purposely. She silently swore, just for a second, she'd even heard a small growl as he walked by. But, of course, she couldn't be sure. As he took a seat at the witness stand, she felt his eyes swallow her up. She cringed inwardly, but refused to show the weakness to his naked eye. Instead, she turned her attention to the jury box.

There were twelve jurors: four women and eight men. Cole had informed his step-daughter that Dane's lawyer had fought to keep most women off the panel, as it would have hurt his case. The more women, the more sympathetic the jury would be to Persia and the horror of an attempted rape.

Unfortunately, Dane's lawyer was not only overly paid, he was actually good at his job. He had succeeded in keeping over half the jury male, and only three out of the eight men had daughters, but only two of those daughters were still under the age of eighteen. It was obvious the man knew his client was guilty, and he was grasping at straws to make sure that Dane did not get the penalty he so rightfully deserved.

The defense attorney approached the center of the room. He clasped his hands behind his back, and slowly made a half turn so that he could see Cole's table and the jury at the same time. "I know the DA would like you to think that this studios young man is guilty of a horrendous act." His eyes washed calmly over the jury. "But if you truly examine this case, you'll realize that he is far from the truth. You will see that this is a tragically unfortunate," he passed sympathetic gaze to Persia, "misunderstanding on the part of Miss Halliwell."

Cole's hand curled as he locked gazes with the defense. _A misunderstanding? That bastard!_ His chest tightened, and his breaths began to began a little faster. He couldn't wait to jump up there and tear Dane Burnham apart during his cross examination.

"Both I and Mr. Burnham felt that you should hear his side of the story from his own mouth." He promptly turned towards the accused. "Mr. Burnham, in your own words, can you please relay to us what happened on the night of this…misunderstanding?"

Dane cleared his throat, almost verging on dramatically. And then he shifted his chair towards the jury. "It was Prom night." A handsome grin lit up his defined features. "My first, actually. I'm only a Junior at Baker High. And I'd asked Persia Halliwell," he held out his hand towards the young brunette witch, "to be my date. You can't even imagine how happy I was when she'd said yes-"

"Objection!" Cole was on his feet. He opened his mouth to explain his objection, but the judge banged his gavel before the half demon could spit out the words.

"Please don't stray from the question, Mr. Burnham. I just want the facts of the night in question."

Dane bowed his head in dramatic apology. "I'm sorry, Your Honor." He glanced back at the jury. "Well, I picked Persia up at her house that night. I met both her mother," he pointed to Cole, "and her father." And then he paused, allowing that revelation to sink in with the jury. "We had a great time. We were all laughing by the time she and I left in a limo I'd rented specifically for the occasion."

The teenager fidgeted with his tie, loosening it around his neck. Small beads of sweat were slowly forming across his forehead. "The dance itself was amazing, and we had a great time…at least until Persia had a bit of a confrontation with my ex-girlfriend, Marsha."

"Objection," Cole growled. "He's straying again."

"I'll have to disagree with Mr. Turner," the defense argued. "Two girls, one boy…anyone can see how that may have affected the night and/or motives of any and all parties involved."

The judge glanced hesitantly between the warring parties, and then shook his head. "I'm sorry, Mr. Turner, but I'm going to allow it." He eyed the defense cautiously. "But tread carefully, Mr. Carter."

Donald Carter nodded respectfully towards the judge. "Thank you, Your Honor." He flipped his hand towards Dane. "Please carry on."

"Anyway, after that I offered to get some punch for us. We talked for a while at a table, and Persia downed the entire cup. I ended up drinking about three-fourths of mine…" Pink slowly crept into his cheeks. "And then we decided to head out to the limo to, uhm…" He closed his eyes. "Make out."

Dane shifted uncomfortably. "Everything was getting pretty intense between us until something happened with the limo door. It…" He scrunched his eyes, staring at Persia distractedly. "Blew off its hinges. I didn't know it at the time, but apparently the limo was experiencing some type of electrical malfunction."

"But weren't you reported saying that you had seen your girlfriend send electricity from her fingers, which consequently blew off the door?"

Dane raked his hand through his hair. "I'm ashamed to admit it, but yes, that's true."

"And why do you think you reported the incident in that way?"

"Objection, calls for speculation!"

"I'll rephrase," Mr. Carter said instantly. He grabbed a small paper from the defense table, and held it before the jury. "Defense exhibit A." He handed it to first juror. "As you will see, a toxicology report was performed on Miss Halliwell the night of her alleged attack. You'll notice that her blood contains enough hard liquor to knock a girl of her size and weight out for several hours." He turned to Dane. "Did you or Persia drink alcohol that night?"

"No." Dane shook his head furiously. "Persia nor I drink."

"Then how did the alcohol get into your date's system?"

"Objection! Speculation."

"Your Honor, if you let me continue with this line of question, you'll see that the end result does make complete sense. Please, just a few more minutes."

The judge glowered. "I'll allow it, but you only have a few minutes, Mr. Carter. Make it snappy!"

The defense nodded. "Mr. Burnham?"

"The punch. It was spiked. I had heard rumors-"

"Objection, Your Honor! Hearsay!"

"This is high school, Your Honor. Kids don't take things seriously until it's too late."

"You're walking in thin ice, Mr. Carter." He glanced at Cole. "Overruled…for now."

"I heard rumors about someone possibly spiking the punch about a week before Prom, but I hadn't taken it seriously because I didn't think anyone could or would be that stupid! But it's the only thing that makes sense as to why I would have been having hallucinations as well."

"I'd like to enter into evidence defense exhibit C." Mr. Carter unveiled another file, this time from his briefcase. "This folder contains three arrests, all made on the night of the Prom on Baker High property." He walked towards the jury box. "All the arrests were made because of teenagers who were convicted of being under the influence of alcohol that night."

"Objection. These cases have nothing to do with the rape trial at hand!"

"They go to prove that there were others, besides Persia and Dane, who had alcohol in their system that night. It's further proof that the punch bowl was spiked."

"It was never proven that the punch bowl was spiked!"

"The defense intends to prove that there is reasonable doubt to suggest that Miss Halliwell, in her drunken state, misinterpreted Mr. Burnham's actions that night. These cases help to prove that this was the alcohol was not an isolated incident."

"That's bull-"

"Mr. Turner! Contain yourself, or I will hold you in contempt!" The judge smacked his gavel. "I'll allow it."

Mr. Carter cast a sly grin at Cole as he began to pass out the files to the jurors.

----

The noise of the hospital was almost overwhelming for Andy. There was sobbing, screaming, pounding footsteps, blaring heart monitors, and the screeching of wheels against the finely waxed hospital floor. And although he could hear the doctors and nurses talking above him, he was too overwhelmed by the pain throughout his body to concentrate on what they were saying.

"G-Glenn?" He bleated. Andy squinted his eyes, trying in vain to see something. Anything. Unfortunately, all he could see was the thin red silhouettes of people busily moving about in a frantic manner. There was a strong cut on his forehead, just at the line where his hair grew. Blood that had gushed from the wound had found its way, almost immediately, to Andy's blue eyes. It stung, and he the gooey blood reminded him of the puss that had occurred in the first fight he'd ever been in, and received two black eyes from.

"You shouldn't talk, Sir."

"But…" The Inspector was interrupted by his own hacking cough. He could feel and taste the metallic blood gurgle in the back of his throat. "My f-friend," he warbled. Then Andy could feel sticky, plastic fingers grab his arm and then a sting pierced his skin. _They're giving me a shot_, he suddenly realized. Almost immediately, he could feel the drowsiness overtake him.

"Prep him for surgery. I'll be in the O.R. in five."

Andy's mind was becoming more and more fuzzy. _How am I supposed to let Prue know? She'll wonder where we…where we are._ And then the doctor's words registered in his mind. _Surgery. If I'm this bad off, then that means Glenn is too…if not worse._ He felt a bump of the gurney as it strolled through the operating room doors. _Pandora!_

The Inspector squinted his eyes, hoping that his eldest daughter would hear his mental call. _Pandora_, he thought desperately, _can you hear me? Find your mom. Tell her that daddy and Uncle Glenn are…are…_ But the injection had hit its peak, and Andy was out like a light.

----

There were several small taps as Pandora Trudeau moved her Candy Land game piece across the board, purposefully hitting each colored rectangle that she passed. Two rectangles away from Princess Lolly's square, a special pink square with a small red lollipop, she felt a tugging at her mind's eye.

It was faint at first, and slowly began to get more prominent as it called out to her, yet she still couldn't make out who or what the outsider was saying. Obviously, it was a mortal calling to her. Pandora had grown wise over the years, being able to distinguish when a magical being without telepathic power versus a mortal with no magical power was tryng to contact her. This was definitely a mortal.

"Is something wrong, sweetie?"

Pandora glanced up at Sheila's smiling face. She held up her hand. "Howd on." The little girl let the blue game piece fall from her fingers, and she carefully placed her hands to the side of her head. She used her small index fingers to massage her temples.

"Do you have a headache?"

Pandora shook her head. "Shh!" She closed her dark eyes in a frail attempt to reach out to whoever was trying to contact her. And then she heard him. It was barely above a whisper, but she knew it was him. "Daddy!"

"Andy?" Sheila's brows creased.

"No, daddy, come back!" She began to dig her nails into her temples. "I be hearing, daddy, don't go!" But Andy's connection to the tot had vanished. She stood up with small tears in her blue eyes. "Daddy's gone."

The elder woman's dark face blanched. "What?"

"Daddy want hewp fors him and Unccie Gwenn."

"What did your daddy say, Pandora?" Sheila was now on her feet, reaching into her back pocket for her cell phone. "Should I tell Uncle Darryl?"

The telepath shook her head furiously. "No! Mommy! Mommy gots to know."

Sensing the fear and apprehension in the young witch's voice, Sheila shakily pressed speed dial three, and placed the phone to her ear.

----

Prue jumped at the vibration of her cell phone, in her back pocket. She dug her nails between the two thick layers of jean material, and retrieved the pocket sized phone. "Sheila?" She bounced Phae slightly. "Shh, honey, mommy has to talk to Aunt Sheila."

Prue placed the phone to her ear. "Hello?" She began to pace. "No, Andy and Glenn haven't shown up yet." A thick knot was forming in the pit of her stomach. "She what?" If it was possible, Phae's screaming seemed to get worse. "I'll be right over." Prue bit her lip as she hung up the call. Expertly, she pressed up a few more buttons which prompted a new screen which read, 'Message Sent!' Prue waited.

----

Paige shifted as her purse began to vibrate. She glanced around and then dipped her hand into her purse. Cell phones weren't allowed to be on in the court room, so she had to be discrete. She noticed Piper's odd look and shook her head, as if to say that she'd tell her sister later. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she peeked into her purse. The screen read, 'Demon!'

It was a preset text message from Prue. Each of the sisters had so many preset messages that they could program into their cells, and they had each programmed a specific one in for a demonic alert. A certain chill grabbed at her stomach. She looked to Piper, mouthing, 'Demon.'

Piper's eyes enlarged. 'What?' She didn't understand why Prue, she assumed, hadn't sent her or Phoebe phone messages.

"I'll be right back," the youngest whispered. She slung her purse over her shoulder and slipped out of the row, heading for the back of the court room. Her mind was spinning. _What could Prue possibly want help with, that doesn't involve all of us?_ As she shut the doors behind herself, she broke into a run. When she got outside, she found Prue pacing next to the front doors. "What the hell is going on?" She asked, not seeing any demonic threat.

"I need you to hold Phae," Prue said without explanation.

"But you said-"

"Nevermind what I said," Prue cut in. "I need you to watch Phae. Here." She shoved the babe into her half sister's arms, and before Paige could get so much as a word out, Prue's head fell limp. It looked as though she was sleeping in an upright position.

"Great," she scowled sarcastically. "Thanks for the warning."

----

Sheila paced by the window awkwardly. Unfortunately for her, Pandora wouldn't tell her anymore about the mysterious incident during their game of Candy Land. She glanced over her shoulder, only to see the Blessed One still sitting on the couch, rubbing her temples raw. Then she turned back to the window.

"Where is she?"

Sheila jumped at the sound of the eldest Charmed One's voice. "Prue?" She whirled around to see a woman who looked exactly like Prue looking frantically about the room.

"Yes, it's me," the astral projection said hurriedly. "Where's my daughter?"

"Over there," Sheila replied. She moved past the projection and over to the sofa. "Pandora…"

The little witch's eyes fluttered. "I need mommy."

"I'm right here, baby." Astral Prue knelt before her daughter, taking the small hands in her own. "I need you to tell me what happened to daddy. Where is daddy?"

Pandora shook her head. "Dunno. He saided he and Unccie Gwenn needs you."

"Did he say where he was?"

Pandora shook her head. A stray tear drizzled down her cheek. "And den he be gone."

Astral Prue wrapped her arms around her eldest child. "Shh. I'm going to find daddy, okay? And everything'll be okay." And before Sheila had a chance to ask questions, the astral projection vanished in the same ruby flare she had come in.

----

"Finally!" Paige snarled. "What the hell is going on?"

"Something's wrong," Prue said with urgency. "Pandora says she got a message from Andy, and then he disappeared. Something about him and Glenn needing help."

"Glenn." The youngest witch's blood seemed to run cold at the mention of her husband's name. "What's wrong with them?"

"I don't know." Prue accepted her daughter back into her arms. "She doesn't know where they are." She tilted her head. "Can you sense them?"

Paige closed her eyes, summoning her whitelighter abilities. Several minutes passed and then she opened them with a start. "The hospital."

Prue's stomach clenched just a little bit more. "B-both of them?"

Paige nodded. "But," she said quietly, "it's faint. Really faint."

"We have to get down there."

Paige took her sister's hand without question and orbed.

----

Labored breathing resonated off the charcoal tinted cavern walls, and the light of a burning fire created frightening campfire-like images as it manipulated the shadows of the demons that dwelled there: three females.

Two were dressed alike, in long woolen black dresses. Each had black holes for eyes, and hard leathery brown skin, much like the outer shell of a cockroach. Their mouths were small slits, and their noses were flat, as if someone had carved two holes out of the center of their faces.

The third demoness was perched on a stone table, covered in several layers of black velvet throws. Her legs were propped up on stone pillars and a black satin sheet hung between her face and the rest of her body, blocking her view of what was going on behind it.

The third demon was also very different in physical characteristics from the other two. She had dark blonde hair, which was matted to the sides of her sweat laden face. "How much longer?" She snarled through long, agonizing breaths. She seemed to be fighting her pain expertly.

"Soon," one of the minions replied in a raspy tone.

The blonde grabbed the satin sheet, ripping it away from her face to reveal a massive beach ball style hump in front of her; a pregnancy bump. "Soon isn't good enough!" She roared. "Now! Make it happen now!" Her fingers curled as she grabbed the sides of the stone bed, howling as another contraction wracked her body. Her eyes faded to large, black holes and small flames erupted over the blackness.

The blonde threw out her arm in a fit of rage. Powerful red-orange flames blew from her palm, demolishing one of the demonic midwives. A pile of smoking black ash was all that remained within a matter of seconds.

Frightened, the second roach-like demoness rounded the stone bed and checked the dilation of the blonde. Her hands quivered. The baby was still not due to arrive for several hours, but she couldn't tell the pregnant demon such a thing without the fear of death as a repercussion. "I'll make you a potion," she said raspily. "The baby will come within minutes of its consumption." She shimmered hastily from the cavern, just as a jet of flames flew in her direction.

----

"I'm sorry Mrs. Halliwell, but we won't know the diagnosis until your husbands are out of surgery." The nurse at the front desk bowed her head respectfully towards the Halliwell sisters. "And it might take some time for us to get back to you…" She waved her hand towards the brimming waiting room. "As you can see, there are a lot cases today, and we only have so many staff."

"You don't understand-"

"Paige." Prue grabbed her sister's arm, turning her away from the front desk. "Thank you," she said in a low tone.

"What're you doing?" The youngest cried, attempting to break away from Prue and move back to the desk.

"I have an idea." Prue ushered Paige through the crowd of the crying and the injured, guiding her sister to the O.R. doors. "Since Piper isn't here, we're just going to have to make do." She extracted a small compact from her purse, and began to examine herself in its mirror.

Within moments, the eldest Halliwell sister had the compact focused on the only security camera that was focused on the O.R. doors. Prue raised her hand, as if to fix her hair, and then the security camera twisted to the side, focusing in on another part of the hospital. She quickly re-pocketed the compact.

"What was the point in that?" Paige asked, still quite confused at what Paige had in mind. "So you can walk through." She pushed her hand against the double doors. "We're waiting for one of the doctors to come out."

"Why?"

"You'll see." Prue pushed in front of her sister as the doors swung open and a young, red haired doctor walked past them. Prue held out her hand, using her telekinesis to apply pressure to a specific part of the woman's neck. In doing so, it caused the woman's body to fall limp. Prue flicked her wrist, holding the woman upright as her sister gasped in alarm.

"Prue!"

"Shh." Prue handed Phae to Paige, and then moved to the doctor, looping her arm around the woman's waist and walking her towards the bathrooms. In the frenzy of the hospital, nobody seemed to question the strangeness of the way the redhead's feet didn't seem to be moving as she walked.

Paige gawked as she scampered after her sister. Her eyes looked like saucers. "Prue! Prue, what are you thinking?"

The eldest ignored her sister, and reached the bathroom where she maneuvered her way through the people and into the handicapped stall. She beckoned for Paige to follow, and her little sister did.

"I need you to change this woman into something. Anything."

"Change her into something?"

"You know," Prue's voice dropped, "with your new power."

"But Prue-"

"Just do it!"

Paige shifted uncomfortably. She hadn't had transmorphation very long, and it didn't always work the way she intended it to work. She was afraid she might end up hurting the woman. "Prue, I don't think-"

"You want Glenn alive, don't you?"

"Yes, but-"

"Then hurry!"

Hesitantly, Paige raised her arm. _We're in a hospital_, she thought, _so what would be plausible?_ She glanced at the woman again. _A gurney?_ She shook her head. _No. That's too big for a bathroom stall. Besides, people will notice._ She cocked her head to the side. Cringing at the idea, she twisted her fingers in the hopes that her power wouldn't fail her now.

The redhead began to glow a bright sunshine yellow, began her body began to shrink and contort. She fell limp in Prue's arms, before her skin changed to a dark red and her body transformed into solid black plastic.

"Extra large rolling luggage?" Prue hissed.

"Well I couldn't exactly turn her into a coin purse, Prue! I can only transform things into other things with about the same matter and/or relative size! And I don't think changing her into gurney would be a very good idea to everyone outside the stall."

Prue pressed the button on the newfound luggage, pulling up the black plastic handle. "Fine." She took the baby from Paige and waved her fingers. "Now yourself. Use your whitelighter ability and change into the doctor."

"Prue!"

"Do it!"

Glaring, Paige accessed her power and her dark hair began to change to a deep shade of red and shrink to her shoulders, while her clothing transformed into a classic white coat and pale green scrubs.

Prue shoved open the stall door and marched out, with Paige at her heels. She ushered her sister through the crowd, back to the O.R. double doors and waved her hand. "Use your sensing powers to find Andy and Glenn." Prue gave a shove to her sister. "Hurry!"

Paige looked around hesitantly, and then shoved open the double doors, marching down the busy hallway with a look of confusion scribbled all over her newfound face.

----

"Are you sure this will work?" A black liquid sloshed around in a poorly crafted ceramic bowl. The blonde demoness examined it for several minutes, before she let out another croak of pain. And with a quick gesture, she downed the entire bowl.

Grainy pieces from the liquid stuck to the sides of her mouth, and her lips were strangely discolored when she pulled the bowl from her face. For several seconds, nothing appeared to be happening. "Liar!" Her hand raised in a threatening motion, and flames began to dance above her palm.

The black granules from the left over potion began to bubble like acid on her cheeks, causing tiny orifices on her face to begin filling with blood and popping like pimples. Suddenly a raging fire sprang up around her head, consuming her in a roar of flames. The demoness grabbed her head in agony. "What have you done to me!"

The cockroach-like minion smiled slyly. "I've only done what you asked, Mistress. I've given you a potion to induce the birth of your heir." She took a daring step towards the burning blonde. "Unfortunately for you, the only way to quicken the birth is to sacrifice the mother in the process. You see, as it comes closer for the time to bring the child into the Underworld, his powers grow and you slowly adapt to the new strength."

She studied the blonde for a long beat, her beady black eyes showing no emotion or remorse. "I simply used a potion to speed up the growth of his powers, something that you can't handle too quickly." She moved around to the end of the stone bed. "I promise to take good care of him, Mistress."

Supernova-like light exploded from the epicenter of the room, showering everything in a layer of thick black ash. Some of the ash was still flickering with tiny orange flames, and some had thick smoke billowing from the tiny black particles.

And at the edge of the stone bed, a small naked babe sat unscathed atop the layered black sheets. He had soft, pink skin and looked awfully normal, except for the pair of pure black holes where his eyes should be, and the occasional fire that burned within them.

The minion bowed respectfully before the new Demon King. "Sire." When she drew her head back up, the babe's eyes were no longer black and fiery, but a striking amber color, verging on a fiery orange. Her thin mouth curved ever so slightly as she picked up the child. On his back was a massive black scorpion shaped birthmark. The minion stroked the child's bare back gently.

Then something seemed to glitter from beneath the ash, catching her ebony eyes. She stretched her arm across the stone table, dusting off something that was protruding from the soft ashy layers. Dusting it off, she realized it was a silver scorpion pendant, with large claws carved of solid ruby. Carefully, she clasped the pendant around the baby's neck. "Your mother would be proud," she said huskily. "But since Scorpia can't be here to raise you herself, I will protect you."

She stroked the gurgling child's soft head. "You are the dawn of a new age. You shall rule the next generation of evil, and therefore your mortal name shall be Neo." She raised her hand, waving it in front of the small babe. A pair of baby blue booties and a white diaper materialized on the small evil heir. "I shall take it upon myself to protect you until you've come of age."

The demoness dipped her hand into the deep pocket of her black dress, retrieving a small bottle filled with a mixture of warm milk and a blue cloaking potion, causing the contents of the bottle to turn a milky blue. She pressed the bottle to the infant's mouth, who instantly accepted the nipple and began to drink it hungrily. The ripple of demonic shimmers enveloped them both, as she transported them somewhere she deemed safe, until the young Demon King would be able to take his rightful thrown in the Underworld.

----

"Shh," Phoebe Halliwell soothed. Her hands lightly massaged her daughter's shoulders, as Persia whimpered on the wooden bench outside the court room. Much to everyone's surprise, the trial had gone two hours ahead of schedule, and now it was in recess while the jury discussed the topic of Dane Burnham's guilt.

"Everything's going to be fine," Alternate Pamela assured her friend. "How can they not find him guilty?" She quirked a brow. "Did you see the way they were looking at him?" She placed a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Trust me, I know what I'm talking about."

"Well you didn't exactly have a vision of them proving him guilty, did you?"

"Persia," Alternate Pamela said in her most serious tone, "trust me." In her heart of hearts, she knew that they'd find that bastard of a man guilty. She didn't need magic to know that. _However_, she thought bitterly, _I might need magic to find the little S.O.B. and have a little face-to-face with him._ Her hand curled into a tight fist behind her back, causing her knuckles to turn a ashen white color.

Down the hallway, Piper was pacing back and forth with her cell phone practically glued to her right ear. She'd tried calling both Prue and Paige over twenty-five times combined, during the last fifteen minutes. It had been voicemail each time. Her stomach was beginning to twist and knot. The last thing Paige had told her was that Prue sent her one of their preset demonic text messages, and now she couldn't find either of them. To make matters worse, Leo had orbed off ten minutes before the court recessed, due to a calling by The Elders. She had no way of locating her sisters.

"Aunt Piper?"

Piper placed her index finger over the mouthpiece and turned around, catching the brunette gaze of her second eldest niece. "What do you need?" She asked shakily.

Pearl bit her lip. "I was just wondering if you'd gotten ahold of mom yet."

Piper shook her head regretfully. "Sorry, sweetie, I'm still trying."

Pearl folded her arms across her chest. "What about scrying?"

"I don't have the crystal," Piper replied in a low tone. She pressed the 'End' button as Paige's voicemail kicked in.

The Blessed One's face brightened a tad. "That's okay," she said suddenly. "I've got an idea."

"What're you-" But Piper was too late. Her niece was already heading off in Phoebe's direction and she frowned as she hit Prue's speed dial.

"Can I use your cell phone?" Pearl asked quietly.

Phoebe didn't even look up from her daughter. "Sure." She gave a quick nod of her head. "It's in left side of my purse."

"Thanks." Pearl dug into her aunt's purse and retrieved the green Sprint phone within seconds. She headed down the hallway, following the small blue and white signs that lead the way to the public restrooms. The phone was ringing as she entered the ladies' room and found an empty stall, which she quickly slipped into and latched the door. "Hi Mrs. Fargo," she said easily, "is Brandon available?"

Pearl waited, nodding absently as the older witch babbled on the other end of the line. And then she smiled slightly. "Thank you." Several minutes passed before a deeper and quite obviously male voice bellowed into her ear. "Brandon?" She visibly relaxed at her best friend's voice.

"Hey, I need to ask for a favor." The witch rolled her eyes as she heard a groan from the opposite end of the line. "I need you to come pick me up and take me to the Manor." She paused again, and then grinned. "You don't need to know. Just focus on me, and I think your power should take you to me." She began to twirl a strand of her licorice colored hair. "Thank you!" Pearl flicked the phone closed, and within moments, her best friend appeared at her side. "Took you long enough."

Brandon plugged his nose. "Where are we?" He glanced around, noticing the toilet and the toilet paper rolls. His eyes widened as he realized they were in a bathroom, and he didn't believe for a second that it was the men's bathroom. "You had me come to a bathroom?"

"What?" She asked sassily. "It's not like anyone's gonna see you."

"That's so not the point," he glowered as they disappeared into thin air.

----

"Dr. Caughlin!"

Paige shimmied by a couple of doctors who were making their way down the corridor. She didn't know exactly where her husband was, but her sensing power was getting stronger as she moved along. _If only I could orb to him_, she thought bitterly. _My powers would take me right to him._

"Dr. Caughlin!"

The witchlighter ran a hand through her new, thick red hair. Then she felt a tug on her arm, stopping her in her tracks. The muscles in her body tensed as she whirled around, ready to land a punch into any potential threat. Instead, she came face to face with a young Asian doctor, with strikingly handsome brown eyes.

"Dr. Caughlin," the man said breathlessly. "Didn't you hear me?"

Paige looked around, seeing that nobody else was about. Apparently it was only her. _Dr. Caughlin_, she thought. _Just who's identity did I take on?_ She shook her head. "I-I-I'm sorry," she stuttered. "I didn't-"

"It doesn't matter now, you're already late." He tugged her in the opposite direction.

The Charmed One could feel Glenn fading behind her with every step. "Late for what?" She cried, hurrying her step to keep up with the young Asian.

"Surgery!" The young doctor stopped short, nearly colliding with her. "You can't tell me you forgot it!"

Paige/Dr. Caughlin shook her head. "O-of course not," she spit out in a panic. "But I'm really-"

"We don't have much time," he urged, once again dragging her along with him. "The bullet's jammed just centimeters below Mr. Cudney's heart. We need to know if you think you'll be able to get if out." The Asian pressed his small hand against an operating room door, tugging the witch inside. "If you can't, he's doomed either way."

----

"Pam!" Persia whispered. Her eyes were wide as she glanced over her shoulder at her friend.

Alternate Pamela was standing just outside the gate, with her hands wrapped around the shiny wooden railing and her knuckles were so white that it looked as if the bone were ready to pop through at any given moment. What she didn't realize was the two tiny streams of frost that were drifting from her nostrils, or the fact that her lips held a shade of lavender, as frost continued to layer itself upon them because she was breathing so heavily. The sight was strikingly similar to that of a cartoon bull with steam sifting from its nostrils.

Persia slapped at her friend's hand, catching the telekinetic's attention.

"What?"

"Your nose," she whispered. She dipped her hand into her pocket, retrieving a small compact which she handed to her friend.

Alternate Pam's eyes widened a little. She cupped her hand over her mouth and nose, hiding her frosty exhalings. Her eyes lifted quietly to Persia, who was again staring straight forward. She ran a warm finger across her lips, melting the thin layer of ice with her own body heat. She took a few long, calming breaths and it seemed to stop the cryokientic frost. However, she knew deep inside that she wouldn't be fine until she had a little one on one time with Dane Burnham.

"All rise for the honorable Judge Harlan Taylor."

A wave of the court's guests rose to their feet as Judge Taylor's door swung open. A murmur wisped across the room as they all sat back down again, and then their eyes fell upon the empty jury seats.

"Bring in the jury," the judge ordered.

Moments later, a single file line of twelve jurors waltzed into the room. The eight men and four women took their seats in the jury box, and turned their eyes from Dane to Judge Taylor.

"Have you reached a verdict?"

An older gentlemen with snow white hair and a bushy white mustache stood up, holding out a piece of folded paper to the bailiff. "Yes we have, Your Honor." He waited patiently as the judge read over their decision, gave them a nod of approval, and then he was given back the paper. He cleared his throat.

----

"Pearl, calm down!"

"Calm down? Calm down?" The eldest Blessed One slammed her fists against the map. "My dad's in the hospital, Brandon! You have to take me over there!"

"You don't know what's going on," the teleporter replied. "What if we risk teleporting over there for nothing?"

"And what if we risk not going over there, when it is something?" She placed her hands on her hips, looking strikingly like her mother. "With my family, there's a far greater chance that it's something instead of nothing." A sense of urgency reflected from her pooling brown eyes. "Please?"

Heaving a sigh, Brandon wrapped his arms around his best friend's waist. "You know," he whispered, "I wouldn't do this for just anyone."

Pearl smiled lightly, leaning her head onto his shoulder. "I know," she said as they vanished from the attic.

----

"Guilty."

Persia felt like the world had been lifted from her shoulders. Finally, she would be able to close this chapter of her life and start working on the things that really mattered. As she looked up, Dane was being led away in ringing chains. A few feet away, Tyler and Alternate Pam were squeezing through the gate to get to her, and before she had a chance to utter anything, Tyler's strong arms had pulled her into a warm embrace.

"Finally," Alternate Pamela snarled under her breath. She was eyeing Dane as they led him out of the courthouse through a door on the left, front side of the room. She ran a hand through her thick, dark hair and then turned to Persia, plastering a smile to her face. "How're ya feelin'?"

Persia wriggled from Tyler's grasp. "Better," she admitted. "Better than I've been in quite a while."

"Oh good," the telekinetic smirked. "Maybe next time you can come over and help me with my problems."

Persia's brows wrinkled in concern. "Is something wrong, Pam?"

She hesitated for a moment, and then quickly waved her hand. "You take everything so seriously, you know that?"

Persia bit her lip, studying her friend. "Right," she said, with an air of suspicion in her voice.

"What d'ya say we get going?" Cole placed a hand on his step-daughter's shoulder, smiling down at her.

Persia turned towards the half demon and threw her arms around him. "Thank you…Dad."

Cole closed his eyes and softly began to stroke Persia's long, golden-brown hair. "You're welcome."

----

"There it is!" The Asian doctor twisted his head up at the Charmed One. Up until this point, he had been doing the incisions and directing the nurses. Apparently, he was the second in command, so to speak. His name was Dr. Dewei Cheng, and he'd been working under Dr. Caughlin for several months now, gaining experience before he would actually be able to go solo. "I can't get it," he informed her. "I'm not skilled enough."

Paige/Dr. Caughlin shifted uneasily. _Well_, she thought, _I'm not skilled at all!_ Her hands shook as she lifted a pair of medical tweezers and hovered them over the patient's body. She couldn't even see where the bullet was. "Point it out again," she murmured.

Dr. Cheng narrowed his slanted eyes, looking confusedly at her. "It's right there," he replied, his voice slightly muffled by the thin mask he wore over his mouth and nose. At the whitelighter's confusion, he lowered his gloved index finger and pointed it as close as he could to the bullet. "Right there."

The Charmed One squinted, finally seeing a glint of something that looked vaguely like a piece of metal. It was right next to the slowly pumping heart in the man's chest. She fought the squirmish feeling in the pit of her stomach. _You've seen worse than this, Paige!_

"We're losing precious time," Dr. Cheng persisted. "You have to make your move." He studied her worried facial expression. "Unless-"

"No," she said suddenly. "I'm fine." Paige/Dr. Caughlin moved her hand over the patient and dipped her tweezers into the incision. She pinched them slightly, knowing that one tiny wrong movement of her hand could cause this man's death. Under her breath she murmured, "Bullet." Under her hand, there was a small blue glow and then she pulled back, proudly holding the bloody bullet between her tweezers.

"Congratulations, Dr. Caughlin," one of the nurses murmured, holding out a metal pan to put the bullet in.

"Yeah." There was a resounding clank as the bullet dropped into the pan.

"Begin to clean him up," Dr. Cheng instructed. "I'll be right back to sow him up." He beckoned to Paige/Dr. Caughlin, and walked out of the surgery room.

Breathing heavy sighs of relief, the whitelighter followed him. She was so glad to be over and done with this ordeal. As she stepped into the next room, she found Dr. Cheng cleaning his hands at the sink. She followed suit, and pulled off her only mildly bloody gloves and trashed them, before moving to the sink and lathering her hands with a bar of white soap.

"I saw what you did."

The witch froze. "What?"

"I saw what you did," he repeated under the gurgle of the water from the faucet. "You're not Dr. Caughlin." He pushed the handle back, turning off the water and turning to face the witch. "But demons don't help people…so who are you?"

Paige/Dr. Caughlin bit her lip as she also turned off the water. "How do you know about demons?"

"My sister's a witch…" He hung his head. "Was. My sister was a witch."

"You are too?"

Dr. Cheng shook his head. "No. She was my half sister, a witch on her mother's side. She was killed by demons three years ago."

"I'm sorry."

"You still haven't answered my question." He moved to a towel dispenser and pulled out three sheets of white paper towels, using them to dry off his hands and arms. "Who and what are you?"

"My name's Paige Matthews," she admitted quietly. "I'm a-"

"Charmed One!"

"How did you-"

"Xia used to talk about you four all the time! You're legend in the magical community."

"So I've heard," Paige/Dr. Caughlin said, rolling her eyes.

"I'm glad you were here today," Dr. Cheng confessed. "I don't think that man would've survived an attempt to get that bullet out. It was lodged too deep and too close to his heart." He suddenly craned his neck. "Wait. If you're not Dr. Caughlin, then where is the real Dr. Caughlin?"

"Oh…" The whitelighter-wtich shifted uncomfortably. "She's with my sister. She's fine, don't worry."

"Why did you…" He waved his hand at her disguise.

"I'm looking for my husband. He was hurt, along with my brother-in-law, and I needed a disguise that would allow me to find him freely."

"What's his name?"

"Glenn." She watched at the doctor slipped on a new pair of gloves. "Glenn Belland."

Dr. Cheng squinted his eyes. "One of the car crash victims?"

"Car crash?"

"Yes! I remember the name. He came in at the same time as an SFPD inspector by the name of Trudeau."

"That's my brother-in-law! Andy Trudeau."

"I can take you to them if you'll be willing to wait for me to finish up with Mr. Cudney." He didn't even have to wait for her answer, because of look of relief on her face told him everything. "I'll be back in about ten minutes." And he ducked back into the room.

Paige/Dr. Caughlin shook her head. Fate and destiny always amazed her. Luckily, this time they were working in her favor, instead of against her.

----

Phoebe dipped her hand into her purse, rummaging for who knows what. She glanced up, looking down the hallway at her older sister.

"Anything?"

Phoebe felt Cole's warm hands on her arms and she shook her head. "No."

"Have you tried?"

"Pearl still has my cell."

Cole made a three-sixty turn. "Where is she?"

"Piper said she thinks she may of went back to the Manor to get the scrying crystal."

"With who?"

"Well if she took my cell, I'm assuming it's Brandon. I mean, if she was just going to call Leo or something, she wouldn't need one."

"Speaking of Leo, has Piper tried him yet?"

"He's not answering either."

"Do you want me to go down to the Underworld and see if I can gather any information?"

Phoebe pursed her lips, studying her sister's frantic gestures. "Yeah," she said slowly. "If you wouldn't mind, I think that might be a good idea." A sick feeling was steadily growing in the pit of her stomach.

"Okay." Cole kissed his wife's lips. "I'll be back as soon as I can." He walked off down the hallway, disappearing towards the men's restroom.

"Where's he going?"

Phoebe spun around, spying her oldest daughter. "He's going to check the Underworld."

Persia's face paled. "Do you really think-"

"I don't know." She closed her eyes nervously. "We just want to cover all bases." The precognitive pulled her hand out of her purse, holding a small plastic cylindrical container. She pressed her thumb against the underside of the white rubber lid and it popped off, revealing several tiny sticks. As she reached her hand into the container to pull out a toothpick, a wave of psychic energy smashed into her.

_**----Premonition----**_

"_Do you have a spare toothpick?"_

_Andy leaned back in his chair, slightly disgusted. "You're really going to pick your teeth in front of me?"_

_Glenn grabbed a grease spotted In-N-Out Burger bag from the floor. "They've got good burgers, but I always get little burger bits-"_

"_Okay, okay!" Andy leaned across Glenn, reaching into his glove box and pulled out a small bottle full of wooden toothpicks. "Take your pick. Just don't make that sucking noise that Phoebe makes when she picks her teeth."_

_Glenn snickered. "I won't, I promise." He popped off the lid and pulled out a toothpick. "I make more of a slopping noise." Upon his friend's disgusted grin, he tossed the bottle back into the glove compartment and turned his attention back up to the mirror. "There's a-"_

_Andy's neck snapped forward, with a sizable crack. His chest grazed the steering wheel, before the seatbelt slapped him back into the driver's seat, causing his neck bones to crack again. Out of his peripheral vision, he could see that Glenn had experienced the same. But it wasn't over. He was pinned to his seat as his car lurched forward, slamming into the car he'd worked so hard not to crash into, all because of the multiple car collision that had taken place behind him and Glenn._

_**----Premonition----**_

The toothpicks scattered colorfully across the tile floor as Phoebe came out of the powerful vision. Her hands were shaking and her breathing was ragged.

"Mom, what did you see?"

"A crash," Phoebe whispered as Piper approached. Her eyes shifted to her sister. "Andy and Glenn were in it."

----

"Pearl?"

Pearl jumped at the sound of her aunt's voice. She whipped around to see Prue staring incredulously at her. "Wh-what are you doing here?"

"What are you doing here?" Prue countered. She shifted the infant to her other arm. "Do Piper and Phoebe know where you are?" She looked around. "Are they here too?"

"No." Pearl sidestepped closer to Brandon. "I borrowed Aunt Phoebe's cell-" And as if on cue, a ringing from her pocket summoned her attention. She dug the phone from her pocket and placed it to her ear. "H-hello?" Looking at Prue she said, "Uh…Brandon and I are at Bay General Hospital." Her eyes bulged.

"What?" Brandon asked, suddenly alarmed by the look of horror that had suddenly risen on Pearl's pretty face.

Pearl pulled the cell from her ear, holding it out to Prue. Her eyes lifted to the ceiling, a common action for someone who was about to cry, and she promptly turned away from her aunt as Prue took the phone.

"Hello?" The Charmed One cringed at Piper's voice on the other end. "No, Piper, I'm fine." She pursed her lips. "Yes, Paige is here too…but not with me." Her heart began to thump. "They what?" Her mouth fell into a small, half circle. "A crash. Oh my god!" Her knuckles turned white as they wrapped around the phone. "It's worse than I thought…"

----

"You knew?" Piper gasped.

Phoebe looked up, shocked at Piper's words. "She knew about this?"

Piper covered the mouth piece. "Not the crash, but she knew they were in the hospital."

"I can't believe she didn't tell us!" Phoebe exclaimed furiously. She reached passed her sister, grabbing the phone. "Prue! How could you be so selfish? You have no idea how worried Piper was about you and Paige!" Her eyes flared. "No. You listen to me. They're our family too, and we had every right to know what was going on and where you were going!"

"Mom don't, this is-"

Phoebe slammed the cell shut and shoved it back at Piper. "We have to get down there."

"Did you just hang up on her?"

"No," Phoebe snarled, "she hung up on me." Her heart was racing. _How could Prue be so selfish? She should've told us about this so that we could all help! And instead she goes off on her own, like she always does! Instead of helping, we've wasted valuable time looking for her._

----

"Glenn!" Paige/Dr. Caughlin cupped her hands over her mouth, gasping. "Oh my Goddess…" Her mind was spinning. She'd never seen Glenn look so bad before. In fact, she'd never seen someone hooked up to so many wires before. She ran to him, touching his bruised and battered face softly. "Oh baby," she whispered, "I'm so sorry!" Tears dribbled down her cheeks as she softly stroked her finger over the bloody, swollen cut on his blue and black lips.

Glenn was lying motionless on the white bed. A bandaged was wrapped around his head, and some of his hair had been shaved away to reveal several cuts where glass had embedded themselves into his scalp. His eyes were both black and swollen, looking like rotten plums, and his nose was twisted, with some cartilage sticking out. A respirator tube had been jammed down his throat, and there seemed to be a million different wires coming off of his body. The room hummed with the sound of a heat beat monitor and slow, electronic breathing.

"Your brother-in-law is in then next room," Dr. Cheng said from behind her.

"Thank you," she said, not even looking back at the man. The whitewitch lifted her husband's hand. One of his fingers had been broken, and a small cast was around it. She softly cupped his hand between hers. She wanted to heal him so badly. "Glenn," she whispered close to his ear. "If you can hear me…I love you." Paige/Dr. Caughlin leaned her head to Glenn's pillow and softly stroked his cheek. "And I'm going to do everything I can to help you get better. I promise."

Hesitantly, Paige/Dr. Caughlin stood up and walked towards the door. "Do you think you might be able to page my sister?"

"Sure," Dr. Cheng said, pulling a notepad from his white lab coat pocket. "What's her name?"

"Prue Halliwell."

"I'll head down that way now." His brown eyes moved across the room. "And for what it's worth, I'm sorry about your husband."

Paige/Dr. Caughlin wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "Thank you." As he left, she slipped into the next room spying Andy on the bed. Her heart sank. _How could this have happened?_

Like Glenn, his entire body was covered in thick black and purple bruises, and several cuts burned bright red along his arms and face. His head didn't have a bandage, but he did have a neck brace from the whiplash that occurred. He wasn't on a respirator, and obviously not hurt as bad as Glenn.

The whitelighter moved to his side. "Andy?" She gingerly touched his arm, which was lying limply at his side. "Can you hear me?" She laced her hand with his. "Prue and I are here," she announced. "They're paging her right now." She pursed her lips in uncertainty. "She's really worried about you."

"Andy?"

The youngest Charmed One flipped around at the sound of Prue's voice. "He doing better than Glenn is," she choked.

Prue sprinted to the bed and lightly stroked his face. She was trying to hold herself together, but the pain in her face was more obvious than an airport runway at night.

As Paige/Dr. Caughlin headed for the doorway, she saw her other two sisters walk up, along with the kids. "I'm going to wait with Glenn," she announced as she skirted around Piper and Phoebe. When she walked back into the room, Pearl had already taken a seat at her father's bedside. The sight tore her heart a little more. "Baby," she whispered, walking up behind her daughter and wrapping her arms around her.

"I want to heal him," Pearl cried. Her hands hovered over Glenn's chest, but the fear of exposure was keeping her powers at bay.

"I know you do, baby." The Charmed One kissed her daughter's head. "So do I…but we can't risk it. He's already here and they've already diagnosed him." She shivered involuntarily. She couldn't believe she was actually going against the idea of helping Glenn.

"What if I just do it a little bit?" She asked eagerly. "What if I only help to speed up the natural healing process on everything that can't be seen with the naked eye?" She was, of course, talking about helping to heal the internal damage caused by the crash.

"You can do that?"

Pearl whipped her head around, eyeing Dr. Cheng. She looked questioningly to her mother, as if silently asking who the man was.

"It's okay, he knows." Paige/Dr. Caughlin nodded. "My daughter, one of her powers is the ability to heal."

"Is he a witch?" Pearl asked, barely above a whisper.

The Charmed One shook her head. "No." She ran her hand over Pearl's long, dark hair. "It's a long story, but I promise you can trust him."

"I think you should try," Dr. Cheng said. He walked over to Glenn and surveyed him. "What you were talking about, I mean. The internal healing."

"The doctors wouldn't be able to explain it, though."

"But they couldn't explain my Arroyo Fever either," Piper countered from the doorway. She walked in, followed closely by Phoebe, and touched Paige's shoulder in a comforting manner. "I think it would be okay, Paige. Just to help him a little. After all, if it hadn't been for the magical messed that Michelle caused, then this wouldn't have happened."

Pearl stared longingly at her mom, begging for permission to heal her father.

Paige nodded. "Okay, but be careful."

Pearl steadied herself against the bed, placing her hands carefully atop her father's bruised and bandaged chest, and then a golden light began to seep from her palms. She couldn't see what was going on beneath the surface, but immediately the heart beat monitor picked up and she knew it was working. However, when she saw a few of the cuts begin to disappear, she pulled her hands back.

Dr. Dewei Cheng gasped. "I've never seen anything like that before." He moved around the bed, examining the places where the cuts had vanished. "My sister, she didn't have magic as powerful as that."

Paige/Dr. Caughlin looked down. _Of course not_, she thought, _witches don't have powers like that. Whitelighters do._

"Paige, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"You said Dr. Caughlin was with your sister, but I don't see her."

"She's sitting outside the room," Piper said, looking at her youngest sister.

"I'll go take care of it." The youngest Halliwell walked out of the room with Dr. Cheng at her heels. She stopped when she saw the red luggage case next to the door. She grabbed the handle and pulled it up.

"Where is she?"

Paige/Dr. Caughlin bit her lip. "Uh, this is her."

Dr. Cheng stared. "The…the luggage?"

The half witch nodded. "I need a place to turn her back."

His face seemed to pale. "The break room." He motioned for Paige to follow him down the hallway and to the first door on the right. The Chinese man pushed it open and waved, signaling that it was clear.

The Charmed One tugged the luggage and heaved it onto the empty couch that was in the break room. She took a few calming breaths, and then held out her hand.

The luggage began to glow a bright yellow, and then slowly elongate and grow arms and legs. The fabric changed to clothes, and the handle formed a head with long, red hair. Within moments, Dr. Miranda Caughlin was lying asleep on the couch.

The whitewitch closed her eyes and her doctor garb began to morph back into the clothes she'd been wearing earlier, and her hair grew darker until it reached its natural near black shade. Her skin paled to porcelain, and her eyes began a deep shade of brown. She turned to Dr. Cheng when her transformation was complete, and he appeared to be literally stunned to silence. "I guess you're sister didn't expose you to a lot of magic," she concluded.

Dr. Cheng shook his head. "I only ever saw her light candles with her fingers a few times, and sometimes I'd watch her cast protection spells and circles."

Paige nodded. "Look, if she wakes up and there are any problems with her remembering things she shouldn't or whatnot, please don't hesitate to call me. I'm sure my number will be in Glenn's records." She headed for the door. "But if you don't mind, I'd really like to be with my husband right now."

"Of course." And he watched her leave, absolutely mystified by what he'd just witnessed.

----9:00 P.M.----

Persia zipped up Tyler's jacket as she stepped out into the chilly night air. Her eyes traveled to the sparkling stars. "I wish we didn't always have to get together under crappy circumstances."

"You're tellin' me." Alternate Pamela rubbed her arms as they rounded the hospital, heading out to the courtyard. "We'll have to make plans for a date in the future, where we haven't had premonitions of evil or whatnot."

"And when nothing creepy is going to try to seep from one world to another."

"I'm sorry about that, by the way."

"It's not your fault."

"I feel like I should've done something more to prevent all this." She waved her arm. "Your city is a disaster. I mean, they even declared a state of emergency."

"You didn't do it!" Persia wagged her finger. "Stop blaming yourself."

"Yeah." Alternate Pam stopped as they reached a small gazebo, in the center of the courtyard. "Well, here's the end of the road."

"Guess so." The electrokinetic shuffled her feet in the grass, before taking a step into the gazebo. She gave her friend a quick hug. "Call me soon," she said, tapping her golden necklace.

"I will." Alternate Pamela smiled, and then turned towards the wall of the gazebo. She began to recite her spell, and then a large blue Triquetra burst up against the wall. She waved as she walked inside, and as her friend watched her, she pulled something out of her pocket with her other hand and discretely tossed a handful of herbs in front of her. "Bye!" She yelled as the portal closed.

Persia stared in silence for a moment, and then turned on her heel and headed back for the hospital.

----

A blue glow filled the jail cell that Dane Burnham sat in, illuminating everything with an eerie light. Alternate Pam stepped out, with a look of disgust on her face. As the portal closed, she squinted her eyes, adjusting to the darkness of the cell. Then she noticed the sleeping form on the brown cot in front of her. She let out a little growl as she ripped the sheets from him. "Get up!"

Dane's eyes widened as a sudden rush of cold air whipped over his body. He jumped at the harsh voice. "Wh-who's there?"

There was a deathly silence, followed by the witch's heavy breathing. And then Alternate Pamela flicked her wrist, telekinetically jerking Dane from the cot and slamming him up against the graffiti covered stone wall.

"Who are you?" He quivered, unable to see her face in the darkness. "H-how did you get in here?"

"Oh, that's the least of your concerns right now." She pressed her hand to his neck, causing him to choke. "People like you make me sick!" Her dark eyes narrowed as she dug her nails into his flesh. "How dare you touch Persia," she spat. "You're lucky that it wasn't me who you messed with, because I wouldn't have left fate up to the law."

She drew back her fist and slammed it against his stomach, causing Dane to let out a choked cry. Alternate Pam stepped back, allowing the boy to whither to the floor. "Consider this your warning. Don't you ever touch her, or anyone else for that matter, again. There will be hell to pay, I can promise you that." With a flick of her wrist, the brown blanket flew off the cot and entangled itself around Dane's head. She quickly chanted her spell, opening the blue portal again, and returned to her own world; her warning had been well understood.

----Two Weeks Later----

The front doors of the Halliwell Manor swung open, allowing a flood of sunlight to poor through the rectangular hole. Paige stood at the helm of the crowd, with one hand on each handle of a wheelchair, which Glenn was seated in. His head was still neatly bandaged, and one of his eyes had a black patch covering it, while his finger was still in a miniature brace.

Prue was lagging behind, with Pandora at her side and Phae in her arms, careful to make sure her own husband didn't fall as he fumbled along the walkway with his crutches.

Andy's left leg was in a cast, which was colorfully drawn and signed by his daughters and his nieces, not to mention the Morris family had each added their own little notes. Two crutches were stuck under his arms, and he was struggling to catch up to everyone else. "Prue," he grumbled, "you're walking too fast!"

"I told you that you should've got one of these puppies," Glenn smirked. He turned his head around, grinning a mangled smile at Andy. "They have to push you, while you just get to hang back and enjoy the ride."

"You keep that up and I won't be pushing you anymore." Paige cocked her head to the side, with a mock threatening stare at her husband.

"Hey," Glenn said suddenly. A grin was spreading across his face just as Andy lumbered into the Manor. "You don't think I could pop a wheelie in one of these things, do you?"

"With that finger?" Andy asked, incredulous.

"What about this finger?" Glenn asked, beginning to hold up his hand before Paige slapped it away.

"Behave," the youngest chided playfully.

"What do it mean?" Pandora asked suddenly, completely curious as to the exchange about this mysterious finger. She lifted her hand, only to have it grabbed promptly by her mother.

"I'll tell you when you're older," Prue said, glowering at her brother-in-law.

"What took so long?" Piper came into the room, holding a two layered cake in her hands.

"Is that for us?" Glenn questioned, looking hungrily towards the sugary delicacy.

"Maybe."

As the words popped out of Piper's mouth, the kids ran down the stairs with a huge plastic red banner with large, white block letters reading, 'Welcome Home!' They each screamed their welcomes, unfortunately, very inharmoniously.

"Hey!" Piper hollered. "Where's the rest of my welcoming party? I signed on for balloons and confetti, ya know!"

At Piper's persistence, Leo and Cole orbed and shimmered in respectively, each with helium filled balloons that they let loose mid-transport, so they took off in showers of orbs and shimmers before reforming. Phoebe, on the other hand, appeared at the top of the stairs, throwing confetti down as she walked.

"It seems more like a birthday party," Glenn observed.

"And a wedding," Andy added, pointing as Phoebe made her way down the stars. "Phoebe looks like the flower girl that never got her chance to shine."

"Oh!" Phoebe threw the entire bag of confetti at Andy, covering him in a thick layer of glittery dots.

"It's like a disco ball exploded on you," Glenn smirked.

Andy rolled his eyes. "Oh, you'll get yours," he snorted. His blue eyes lifted to Piper. "But what I'm worried about right now is getting mine." He eyed the double layer cake. "So, Piper, when do we get to cut the cake?"

"As soon as you hobble your way into the kitchen." And with that, she turned and headed the opposite direction.

"I'll race you," Glenn challenged. He used his good hand to push the lever on his wheelchair, causing it to zoom forward towards the kitchen.

Andy rolled his eyes as he turned towards the doors. He lifted his crutch and gave two hard shoves, causing the Manor doors to thump closed.

_**THE END!**_

A/N: Don't forget to keep a look out for, _Four's A Charm: The Akashic Heiress_!


End file.
